In 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris spontaneously combusted during the most virulent wave of arson attacks on Catholic churches in French history.
Since then, architects have worked at trying to make sure that the building was stable before attempting to begin their restoration work. They have announced this week that that time has finally come, with such work set to begin immediately ahead of a 2024 reopening.
Despite the best efforts of many Modernists to ensure an iconoclastic wreckovation which would have mutated the historic cathedral into some grotesque novelty, decency has prevailed and the church will be restored with its original design.
The restoration will also use the same types of oak trees which were used in the original.
Although this was a disaster, the powerful image of French Catholics praying and singing the Rosary outside their fallen church was one which travelled around the world. With God’s grace, a reopening in 2024 can be such a moment of unity also.
