PARIS — The sound of cathedral bells echoed across the Seine on Saturday evening as Notre-Dame reopened to worship and ceremony, nearly five years after fire devastated one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who vowed on the night of the fire in 2019 that the cathedral would be rebuilt within five years, addressed guests inside the nave. “We are here because a promise was kept,” he said. “Notre-Dame has been returned to the people of France and to the world.”
The ceremony gathered about 1,500 dignitaries, clergy, and cultural figures. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris struck a fire-scarred bishop’s staff against the great bronze doors before leading prayers. The cathedral’s restored organ filled the space with music, while choirs performed hymns that have been sung there for centuries.
The blaze of April 15, 2019, destroyed the wooden roof known as “the forest” and toppled the spire, leaving the cathedral vulnerable to collapse. In the aftermath, firefighters formed human chains to save relics and art. The image of the burning spire falling into the nave became a defining moment of collective memory.
Five years later, the reconstruction has been hailed as a feat of both engineering and traditional craftsmanship. Hundreds of artisans rebuilt the spire from oak and lead, recut damaged limestone, and cleaned smoke-stained windows. “We worked as if time itself was watching us,” said Philippe Villeneuve, the chief architect of the restoration. “Our task was not only to rebuild but to remain faithful to what was lost.”
Macron called the effort “a victory of determination, skill, and spirit,” adding that the project had involved contributions from across France and beyond.
Among the foreign delegations was Quebec Premier François Legault, attending at Macron’s invitation. “Notre-Dame is a symbol not only of France but of the French-speaking world,” Legault told reporters. “Quebec’s ties to this heritage are profound, and it was important to be here to mark this moment.”
His attendance, however, prompted debate back home. Days earlier, Legault had spoken in support of limiting public prayer in Quebec schools, sparking criticism of what some saw as a contradictory stance. Opposition politicians questioned his presence at a religious ceremony abroad, while his supporters argued that Notre-Dame’s reopening was a cultural milestone that transcended religious boundaries.
The reopening ceremony also paid tribute to the firefighters who saved the towers and the rose windows on the night of the fire. A video played inside the cathedral showed workers in harnesses atop scaffolding, carpenters fitting new beams, and artisans restoring gilded details.
Officials said Notre-Dame would gradually reopen to visitors, with Mass and concerts already scheduled. Before the fire, the cathedral drew up to 14 million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited monuments in Europe. Authorities expect those numbers to return as tourism rebounds.
Renaud Muselier, president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, called the project “a collective achievement.” He told French television: “It belongs to everyone, believers or not. What matters is that it stands again.”
Notre-Dame’s reopening marks a new chapter in a history stretching back more than 850 years. Built in the 12th century, it has hosted coronations, royal weddings, and national commemorations. Its latest chapter is one of resilience, with a rebuilt spire now once again rising over the Paris skyline.
“Notre-Dame is not just stone and glass,” Archbishop Ulrich said during the ceremony. “It is memory, faith, and the heart of a people. Tonight, it lives again.”
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