The archbishop of Paris sent a signal of hope on Good Friday amid the nation’s coronavirus outbreak, holding a closed-to-the-public ceremony in the charred and gutted interior of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Archbishop Michel Aupetit and three other clergymen wore hard hats as they entered the damaged cathedral, which was nearly destroyed a year ago, before taking them off for the ceremony.
Standing before a large cross and beneath a gaping hole in the roof, they sang, prayed and venerated a crown of thorns that survived the flames.
The bishop said the ceremony, which was broadcast live, showed that “life is still here,” even as the pandemic is “spreading death and paralyzing us.”
April 15 will mark the first anniversary of the devastating fire that ripped through Notre Dame, destroying the Gothic cathedral's medieval roof, toppling its spire and almost bringing down the main bell towers before firefighters brought it under control.
Notre Dame is still being stabilized. Wooden beams support its flying buttresses, and a gaping hole above its nave lets in the rain and shows the open sky. But the cathedral is still standing.
Just days after the fire last year, hundreds of Parisians were able to gather and pray on Easter Sunday at nearby Saint-Eustache church.
The threat of COVID-19 has made an Easter procession anywhere in the city impossible this year.
According to NPR, the Good Friday ceremony was to include two French actors, who will read texts by Mother Theresa and French poet Paul Claudel, and a performance by French violinist Renaud Capuçon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.