Notre Dame’s Bells Will Ring Again

A Holy Week tragedy like no other: For the first time this morning, the bells of the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris will not peal out in their familiar, exquisitely beautiful call to prayer. This morning’s deafening silence of the bells will revoke the horror of last evening’s raging inferno that all but gutted one of history’s most notable, long-standing cathedrals.

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But even though the landmark spire and the entire roof of the 850-year-old Cathedral have been left in ashes, heartbreaking to see, all is not lost. The towers where Notre Dame bells rang out marking the end of World War 1 and World War 11, which weathered the passing of centuries, surviving even the French Revolution, are still standing this morning. Plans for rebuilding Notre Dame are already underway, the tragedy being not completed in so many of our lifetimes. Until Notre Dame opens its magnificent doors for worship again, thanks to Fr. John Todd Zuhlsdorf, a humble Madison, Wisconsin, priest, known affectionately on the Internet as “Father Z”, you can still hear the bells. Here are the bells of the North Tower and the amazing Bourdon, the big bell “Emmanuel” (slightly smaller than the great “Savorarde” of Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre.

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'ABSOLUTE HERO'

Untold millions went to bed heartbroken last night on the first day of Holy Week, 2019. Human tears shed worldwide as the fire raged out of control, would fill an ocean. Local people, who had attended Palm Sunday services only the day before, wept openly as they stood watching the Cathedral encompassed by flames shooting skyward as it became obvious that the inferno could not be controlled by the 400-plus firefighters, who formed a human chain to save relics and centuries-old paintings. But as authorities rake through the coals of the still smouldering fire this morning, comes heartening news that that all is not lost. A relic of the Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus Christ in his Passion and the Holy Sacrament were removed from Notre Dame before the fire could do them any damage. “A HERO priest who helped comfort those wounded in the 2015 Paris terror attack risked his life by running into the Notre Dame blaze to rescue Jesus Christ's Crown of Thorns. (TheSun.co.uk, April 16, 2019)

”Jean-Marc Fournier, Chaplain of the Paris Firefighters, said he had been among those to enter Paris' 850-year-old cathedral as it was consumed by flames. “He also saved the Blessed Sacrament as emergency services formed a "human chain" to pull other historic relics from the burning structure, which was finally extinguished today after eight hours. “This was confirmed by an emergency services source who said: "Father Fournier is an absolute hero.

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"He showed no fear at all as he made straight for the relics inside the Cathedral, and made sure they were saved. He deals with life and death every day, and shows no fear." “Father Fournier rushed inside the Bataclan music venue in Paris on November 13 2015, when ISIS murdered 89 people using guns and explosives. “The modest chaplain prayed over the dead, and comforted those who were injured or had lost loved ones. "I gave collective absolution, as the Catholic Church authorises me," father Fournier said at the time."

“The Crown of Thorns was one of the great relics of medieval Christianity. It was acquired by Louis IX, King of France, in Constantinople in AD 1239. (Daily Mail, April 15, 2019

“The elaborate reliquary in which just one of the thorns is housed sits in the Cathedral having been moved from the Saint-Chappelle church in Paris. The thorn is mounted on a large sapphire in the centre. “The crown itself is also held in the cathedral, and is usually on view to the public on Good Friday - which comes at the end of this week.”

The fire, cause of which is still unknown, was first reported at 5.50pm (GMT) on Monday and the building was evacuated soon afterwards.  “French police added that one fireman had been seriously injured. (Daily Mail)

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“According to French newspaper Le Monde, the fire broke out in the attic of the monument before spreading across the roof.  “Officials in Paris said the fire could be linked to restoration works as the peak of the church is currently undergoing a 6 million-euro ($6.8 million) renovation project.  “Notre Dame - which means 'Our Lady' - was built in 1160 and completed by 1260, and has been modified on a number of occasions throughout the century. “It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Paris, and is visited by some 12 million people every year and is the most visited historic monument in Europe. ‘Catholic churches have been desecrated across France—and officials don’t know why’ (NewsWeek, March 21, 2019)

“France has seen a spate of attacks against Catholic churches since the start of the year, vandalism that has included arson and desecration.

While Notre Dame is undoubtedly the most well-known landmark to be affected, Paris’ second largest church, Saint-Sulpice, briefly burst into flames on March 17, the fire damaging doors and stained glass windows on the building’s exterior. Police later reported that the incident had not been an accident. (Express, March 20, 2019 )

“Vandals have smashed statues, knocked down tabernacles, scattered or destroyed the Eucharist and torn down crosses, sparking fears of a rise in anti-Catholic sentiment in the country. “Also in February, at Saint-Alain Cathedral in Lavaur, in south-central France, an altar cloth was burned and crosses and statues of saints were smashed. The attack prompted Lavaur Mayor Bernard Canyon to say in a statement: “God will forgive. Not me.”

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Some irreplaceable relics were also rescued from the burning building yesterday. “One work believed to still be intact is Pietà, also known as The Descent from the Cross. (The Sun)

“Initial photographs showed that the sculpture was mostly unharmed, but its condition has not been confirmed. “In the sanctuary, there’s a statue of Madonna and Child — one of 37 representations of the Virgin Mary in the Cathedral — that dates back to the 14th century.

It’s the morning after the terrible fire that ravaged one of history’s most precious treasures. It was a raging inferno taking a tragic toll. But the burning fire in the human soul that no tears, no torrents of water can possibly extinguish, lives on in an eternal Blaze of Faith. It’s April 16, 2019: “Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us”.The Sun

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