Paris' Notre Dame reopening following massive fire nearly 5 years ago

By Necva Tastan Sevinc

ISTANBUL (AA) - Paris’ Notre Dame is set to reopen this weekend, nearly five years after a devastating fire, with two days of ceremonies and celebrations attended by world leaders and dignitaries.

The official ceremony, initially planned for the iconic cathedral’s courtyard and surroundings, will be held indoors due to a severe weather warning, with strong winds expected in the capital.

The event will begin at 6.20 pm (1720GMT) local time Saturday with the arrival of invited heads of state and government, who will be welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron and first lady Brigitte Macron on the cathedral’s steps.

Part of the ceremony will feature a tribute to the firefighters and builders who worked tirelessly on the restoration, including a parade and a special musical performance by brothers Renaud and Gautier Capucon.

At 7 pm (1800GMT), Macron will address the audience with a speech, after which Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will officially open the cathedral’s doors for the religious segment of the ceremony.

This will include a liturgical service and the formal reopening of the cathedral to worship.

The entire event is expected to conclude with a private dinner hosted by Macron at the Elysee Palace for the attending leaders and international dignitaries.

Among the 2,000-3,000 guests will be 35 heads of state or incoming heads of state, including US President-elect Donald Trump, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will meet with Macron, the French Presidency announced earlier this week.

Pope Francis, 87, will not attend but is expected in France the following week. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also canceled her participation.

On Sunday, ceremonies will continue with a morning mass to consecrate the cathedral’s new bronze altar.

Macron also will join 170 bishops for the service. A second public mass will follow in the early evening, the first open to the public since the fire.

The reopening of Notre Dame marks a significant achievement in the long restoration process, which included extensive cleaning of the cathedral’s stonework and structural repairs in the wake of the April 2019 fire, which investigators said was probably due to an accident.

Starting Dec. 16, the cathedral will return to regular visiting hours and will host additional events, including the return of the Crown of Thorns – which played a role in the Passion of Jesus, his suffering on the cross – on Dec. 13.