Past, Present, and Future: Notre Dame’s Reopening Is a Cause for Celebration

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After five long years, Cathédral Notre Dame de Paris is officially opening with a rededication Mass on December 8.

To celebrate, here’s a lengthy thread about the cathedral’s storied history:

As the world prepares for the official opening of Cathédral Notre Dame de Paris this weekend, I’ve prepared my first MEGA 🧵 for your edification — so buckle up! pic.twitter.com/V0shGoybMx

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Yes, buckle up.

It’ll be a fun ride.

1/ The story of “Our Lady of Paris” begins in 1163 when Bishop Maurice de Sully began work on a cathedral over the foundations of a 4th c. church. It’s the story of Christianity itself — a civilizational beacon of hope which always rises again for the benefit of many. pic.twitter.com/P6FyBmZ3Bp

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

861 years of history.

2/ It took nearly 200 years to complete Notre Dame, with the final touches added in 1345. It’s a medieval marvel of architectural engineering. The flying buttresses counterbalancing its high walls, ribbed vaults, twin towers, spectacular rose windows — all are masterpieces which…

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Absolutely masterpieces.

3/ The bells of Notre-Dame recall us back to God. The largest and oldest bell, Emmanuel, was cast in 1681 for the south tower. Weighing over 13 tons, it’s one of the world’s most famous bells, known for its deep, resonant tone. During the cathedral’s 850th anniversary in 2013,… pic.twitter.com/jnNVZsbypn

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

About a month ago, the bells rang out for the first time since 2019. What a glorious sound.

4/ The restoration included the addition of three new bells, including one used at the recent Olympic Games in Paris, and two other bells named Chiara and Carlos — all chosen to complement the most iconic bell of the north tower, Gabriel, named after the Archangel, weighing four… pic.twitter.com/DTm71hODwn

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Just massive.

5/ Notre-Dame has housed various organs since the Middle Ages. Its grand organ, one of the largest and most famous in the world, was significantly expanded in the 18th century by organ builder François Thierry. It boasts five keyboards and over 8,000 pipes! Despite the 2019 fire,… pic.twitter.com/yWrd5pSgsN

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

The organ was largely spared by the fire, but underwent restoration as well.

6/ It’s important to remember that the 2019 fire was not the cathedral’s first brush with death. During the French Revolution (1789-1799), Notre Dame suffered a terrible desecration. Anti-Christian revolutionaries aimed to dismantle the influence of Church and Monarchy all at… pic.twitter.com/zArOFP9rVO

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

And it survived.

7/ The desecrated cathedral was renamed the “Temple of Reason” in November 1793, reflecting their desire to replace the ancient civic religion of France with the new enlightenment “religion of man.” This was part of a broader Liberal campaign of de-Christianization, where… pic.twitter.com/Rf7vVJ6mxn

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

The 1790s were a tumultuous time in France.

8/ The degradation of Notre Dame was partially reversed by Napoleon Bonaparte. Though no friend to the Church, he “re-consecrated” the cathedral for his coronation in 1804, recognizing its symbolic importance for national unity — a political symbol which merely served his… pic.twitter.com/mEWl7vnA5o

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

This writer loves Napoleon.

9/ Thus by the 19th century, Notre Dame had fallen into disrepair. Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” (1831) reignited the public imagination by portraying the cathedral as a cultural and spiritual epicenter of civilization. Inspired by Hugo, architect Eugène… pic.twitter.com/iWWhQbDLu0

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Hugo’s work inspired a restoration in the 1800s.

10/ During WWII, Notre Dame narrowly escaped destruction again. Resistance efforts helped prevent significant damage to the cathedral during German occupation from 1940-44. Hitler ordered that if Germany could not hold the city, Notre Dame should be destroyed rather than fall… pic.twitter.com/fO1s6Vnl8E

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

The entirety of Paris was a hair’s breadth away from destruction. General Dietrich von Choltitz is a hero.

11/ That brings us to the Cathedral’s most recent brush with death. On April 15, 2019, a catastrophic fire engulfed Notre Dame. The roof and iconic spire collapsed, shocking the world. And yet, miraculously, much of the structure survived. What many don’t realize is precisely how… pic.twitter.com/mCI6L5jnKg

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

The fact so much survived — including the stained glass windows — is nothing short of miraculous.

But the building is not just historic, so are the treasures therein:

12/ Undoubtedly the most iconic relic which survived the fire was the *Crown of Thorns* worn by Jesus during his crucifixion. This relic, housed in Notre Dame since the 13th century, is synonymous with the Passion of Christ and is one of the cathedral’s most venerated treasures.… pic.twitter.com/np72zXzv3H

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

First responders risked their lives to save this.

13/ Another relic preserved was the Tunic of Saint King Louis IX who was himself known for bringing numerous relics to France, including the Crown of Thorns. The survival of King St Louis’ Tunic suggests heavenly intercession to remind us of one of the greatest exemplars of… pic.twitter.com/3kCvqft9d3

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

An impressive schedule.

14/ Around 326 AD, St Helena — the mother of Emperor Constantine — found the True Cross of Christ in Jerusalem, and fragments of the Cross were sent throughout Christendom, including to Paris. So here’s an extraordinary thing, some 1700 years after the True Cross was found, the… pic.twitter.com/Ab99rZoSx1

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Just amazing.

15/ Many have recently seen the images of French Catholics processing towards the Cathedral with a statue of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. That statue has been associated with Notre Dame de Paris since the 14th century, but here is the amazing thing, this statue was also… pic.twitter.com/1GGE5Ga1oD

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

A welcome sight.

16/ As if this all wasn’t miraculous enough, the main altar of Notre Dame also remained largely intact — indeed, some of the most dramatic images were of the Altar of Christ still standing tall amidst the flames. pic.twitter.com/3FiPDKx1KY

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Hence the header image for this piece.

17/ Hundreds of millions worldwide watched in shock as firefighters battled the blaze. The official investigation into Notre Dame’s 2019 fire concluded that it was accidentally caused by electrical faults or a cigarette left by workers. However, the fire’s dramatic timing—amid… pic.twitter.com/1p3dbX0TeZ

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

This writer cried watching the coverage of the fire.

18/ French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to restore the cathedral, setting an ambitious five-year timeline for its reopening. To do this required not a separation of church and state but a great concord between the French government, the Catholic Church, and many organizations… pic.twitter.com/9xyTmzm7G8

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

And they did it.

19/ The restoration of Notre Dame de Paris has reawakened our memory of the great history of Christianity; the challenges which have beset Notre Dame are not unlike the challenges which have beset Christianity Itself for 2,000 years. In Notre Dame we can see the True Cross, and… pic.twitter.com/vleyc0k6F8

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

We’re glad it was restored to its former glory, without unnecessary modernizations.

20/ As G.K. Chesterton once put it, “Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a god who knew the way out of the grave.” Notre Dame de Paris shows us the truth of these words, and reminds us that Christianity remains a beacon of hope for the world, and this is… pic.twitter.com/jMgwA1Nxz1

— Chad Pecknold (@ccpecknold) December 3, 2024

Amen.

Looking forward to the rededication Mass.