Notre-Dame reopens cathedral doors 5 years after devastating fire

Howling winds couldn't stop Notre-Dame's heart from beating again.

With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a staff carved from fire-scorched beams, the cathedral roared back to life on Saturday evening.

For the first time since a devastating blaze on April 15, 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer and awe beneath its soaring arches.

While the ceremony was initially planned to begin on the forecourt, unusually fierce December winds whipping across the central Paris island, flanked by the River Seine, forced all events inside.

Yet the occasion lost none of its splendour. Inside the luminous nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral's mighty organ, silent for more than five years, thundered to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies.

The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes.

The evening's celebration, being attended by 1,500 dignitaries — including Prince William, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. first lady Jill Biden and U.S. president-elect Donald Trump — underscores Notre-Dame's enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon.

Observers see the event as Macron's, and his intention to pivot it into a fully fledged diplomatic gathering, while highlighting France's ability to unite on the global stage despite internal political crises.

Dramatic sights, sounds

As the cathedral's largest bell, the 13-tonne Emmanuel — which was not named after the French leader — tolled into the Paris night, signalling the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre-Dame fell into an expectant hush. Emmanuel, a legacy of King Louis XIV, had rung through centuries of French history, and its peal now resonated as a call to witness another epochal moment.

Outside the cathedral's monumental doors, Ulrich raised his fire-scarred crosier. "Brothers and sisters, let us enter now into Notre-Dame," he declared. "It is she who accompanies us on our path to peace."

With the congregation watching in silence and the world looking on, Ulrich struck the floodlit doors, the base of his crosier reverberating against the wood. Inside, the choir answered with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. Illuminations on the cathedral facade heightened the drama. On the final strike, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the glowing interior of restored blond Lutetian limestone.

Adding to the ceremony's visual splendour, Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical garments designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his signature pop-art esthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colourful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches.

Flooded with light and song, the cathedral came alive in a moment of breathtaking spectacle. What had been a silent, soot-blackened ruin five years ago now blazed with renewed vitality, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion US global effort to resurrect it.

Monumental efforts

Inside Notre-Dame, 42,000 square metres of stonework — equivalent to six soccer pitches — gleamed anew, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. Above, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed "the forest," restored the cathedral's iconic spire and roof.

The great organ, dormant for more than five years, roared back to life like a slumbering giant. With its 7,952 pipes — ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide — and a renovated console featuring five keyboards, 115 stops and 30 foot pedals, it responded to the archbishop's command: "Wake up, organ, sacred instrument."

The first low rumble grew into a triumphant symphony as four organists pulled out the stops, weaving improvised responses to the archbishop's invocations. Eight times, Ulrich addressed the organ; eight times, its voice filled the nave with breathtaking sound.

Guests marvelled at the spectacle, many capturing the moment on their phones. "It's a sense of perfection," said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, who last saw the cathedral cloaked in scaffolding in 2021.

"It was sombre then. Now, it's night and day."

Rev. Andriy Morkvas, a Ukrainian priest who leads the Volodymyr Le Grand church in Paris, reflected on his first visit to Notre-Dame in over a decade. "I didn't recognize it," he said. "God is very powerful; He can change things."

He expressed hope that the cathedral's revival could inspire peace in his homeland, drawing strength from the presence of Ukraine's president.

"I think that will have a big impact," he said. "I hope Notre-Dame and Mary will help us resolve this conflict."

The reopening of Notre-Dame comes at a time of profound global unrest, with wars raging in Ukraine and the Middle East.

For Catholics, Notre-Dame's rector said the cathedral "carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence."

"It is a magnificent symbol of unity," Olivier Ribadeau Dumas said. "Notre-Dame is not just a French monument — it is a magnificent sign of hope."

The international range of dignitaries coming to Paris underline the cathedral's significance as a symbol of shared heritage and peace.

Canadian visitor Noelle Alexandria, who had travelled to Paris for the reopening, was struck by the cathedral's ability to inspire.

"She's been nearly ruined before, but she always comes back," Alexandria said. "Not many of us could say the same after such tragedy, but Notre-Dame can."