Notre Dame's Virgin Mary statue returned to cathedral after surviving 2019 fire
A statue dubbed The Virgin of Paris has been returned to the Notre Dame cathedral, five years after fire devastated the historic building.
In short:
A medieval statue of the Virgin Mary and Child has been returned to the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, five years after fire devastated the historic building.
A candlelit procession involving hundreds of people walked along the River Seine to mark the occasion.
What's next?
After undergoing extensive restoration works, the Notre Dame cathedral is scheduled to reopen on December 8.
A medieval statue of the Virgin Mary and Child, known as The Virgin of Paris, has returned to France's Notre Dame cathedral, five years after it survived a devastating fire that engulfed the landmark.
The 1.8-metre-tall stone sculpture is a symbol of hope and faith for Catholics in Paris and beyond, and was relocated after the blaze on April 15, 2019.
Miraculously intact, it earned the nickname "Stabat Mater" — the standing Virgin — as a sign of resilience amid the destruction.
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris led a blessing ceremony involving hundreds of people to mark the statue's return.
The statue's return began with a torchlit procession from the forecourt of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois Church that involved hundreds of people along the River Seine to the cathedral's square, where Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris led a blessing ceremony.
"Tonight, as we accompany the Virgin Mary to her cathedral, before she takes her place at the pillar where so many generations have come to pray, we know she is joining the house of Christ," Archbishop Ulrich said.
"The Virgin stands, although she is filled with pain. We have just accompanied her walk, her return, by reciting the rosary and the joyful mysteries. We remain joyful about everything that happened after this fire. We remain joyful about everything that has been experienced around this cathedral for five years."
The statue, originally from the Saint-Aignan Chapel, dates to the mid-14th century and was originally moved to the Notre Dame cathedral in 1818.
The statue, originally from the Saint-Aignan Chapel on the Île de la Cité, dates to the mid-14th century and was moved to the Notre Dame cathedral in 1818.
It was relocated several times before finding a permanent home in 1855 against the south-east pillar of the cathedral, under the guidance of architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, according to a news release from the cathedral.
The vigil on Friday concluded a nine-day prayer cycle that began on November 7 and formed part of the lead-up to the cathedral's grand reopening on December 8.
The cathedral took delivery of three new bells on November 8, including one used in the Stade de France during the Paris Olympics earlier this year and gifted by the Paris 2024 organising committee.
French authorities say it remains unclear what caused the fire that ravaged the Notre Dame in 2019, but have suggested an electrical fault or cigarette may have been at fault.
The facade of the building survived the blaze, but the damage required years of work by about 500 workers to stabilise and restore the edifice.
Hundreds of Catholic pilgrims and Paris residents joined the procession along the River Seine to see the statue return to the Notre Dame.
The official leading the project said in April that the project had cost 550 million euros ($897 million), funded in part by massive donations, including by luxury sector billionaires Francois Henri Pinault and the Arnault family.
The cathedral received so much funding that there will be money left over for further investment in the building.
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to attend multiple events around the reopening, including its inaugural mass.
Nearly 40,000 pilgrims and 8,000 scholars have already registered for pilgrimage services at the cathedral, with plans for up to 15 million visitors a year, spokespeople for the cathedral said.
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By：ABC(责任编辑：admin)
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