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Sunday, January 12, 2025  
11 Rajab 1446  

Notre Dame Cathedral set to reopen after five years following devastating fire

French President Macron hailed reconstruction as testament to French creativity and resilience
Notre Dame. AFP
Notre Dame. AFP

Notre Dame Cathedral is set to reopen this Saturday, marking five years since the devastating fire that ravaged the iconic Paris landmark. The reopening ceremony will be attended by world leaders, including US President-elect Donald Trump, celebrating the cathedral’s remarkable restoration.

French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the reconstruction as a testament to French creativity and resilience. The swift revival of Notre Dame, which suffered extensive damage in the 2019 blaze that destroyed its roof and spire, comes at a challenging time for France, grappling with political instability and a budget crisis.

Macron expressed hope that the full service in Notre Dame, alongside the presence of around 40 global leaders, would instill a sense of pride and unity among the French people, reminiscent of the positive sentiment during the Paris Olympics earlier this year.

“This is proof that we know how to achieve great things and accomplish the impossible,” Macron stated in a televised address, referring to the widespread admiration for both the cathedral’s restoration and the successful Olympic Games.

Trump accepted an invitation from Macron to attend the event earlier this week. U.S. President Joe Biden will be represented by his wife, Jill, while Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are also expected to be there.

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In a recent visit, Macron revealed the cathedral’s newly restored features, including its clean limestone walls, modern furnishings, and a vaulted wooden roof crafted from ancient oak trees sourced from France’s finest forests.

The reconstruction project, which has cost approximately 700 million euros (around $750 million), was funded through donations. The rapid completion of the restoration defied initial predictions that it could take decades, despite challenges such as lead pollution, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the tragic death of the project’s overseer last year.

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