Notre-Dame Cathedral officially reopened Saturday in a grand ceremony marked by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s three symbolic knocks on its ancient doors with a staff carved from fire-scorched beams, signaling the historic landmark’s resurrection after the devastating 2019 blaze.
The ceremony, beginning at 7 p.m. local time, drew an impressive array of world leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Tech billionaire Elon Musk made a surprise appearance, posting “Magnificat Cathedrale” on X with footage of the restored vaulted roof.
A highlight of the reopening was the first performance of the cathedral’s grand organ since the fire. The restored instrument, featuring 7,952 pipes and a newly renovated console with five keyboards, thundered through the cathedral after Archbishop Ulrich commanded, “Awaken organ, sacred instrument.”
Paris firefighters received a standing ovation during the ceremony, with the word “Merci” projected on the cathedral’s facade in recognition of their crucial role in saving the 12th-century landmark in 2019. “We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility and will,” Macron said in his address, praising the restoration as proof that “great nations can achieve the impossible.”
The Pope, though absent, sent a message urging free entry for visitors, weighing into a debate over potential admission charges. The Notre-Dame cathedral will hold its first Mass in the restored building Sunday at 10:30 a.m. local time.
