In Paris, the renovated Notre-Dame Cathedral was ceremoniously opened

Paris – This evening, the restored Notre-Dame Cathedral was ceremoniously reopened in Paris, five years after it was damaged by a fire. The cathedral doors opened after Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich symbolically struck them three times with a staff.

A long applause erupted after the opening film, which paid tribute to the people involved in the restoration of the monument. Following a musical performance, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke, expressing the gratitude of the French nation to those who saved the Gothic masterpiece.

"Today we can share joy and pride together," Macron declared. Approximately 1,500 guests attended the cathedral's ceremonial opening, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had held trilateral talks with Macron and Trump before the event and was welcomed with applause upon arriving at the cathedral.

Also in attendance was the First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden. Former French presidents François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, as well as British Prince William, were also present. Among the guests was American billionaire and Trump's close associate Elon Musk. Pope Francis did not attend the opening ceremony, but in a message that was read, he referred to today as a joyful day and urged that entry to the cathedral remain free.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral caught fire on the evening of April 15, 2019. The flames spread through the roof and engulfed large parts of the cathedral, considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. According to the BBC, around 600 people fought the fire for about 15 hours. Most of the artistic and liturgical items were successfully saved.

The fire at the UNESCO World Heritage site, which was also made famous by Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, triggered a wave of solidarity around the world. Within a month, individuals and organizations pledged nearly a billion euros (about 25 billion CZK) for its reconstruction. Several fundraising campaigns and benefit concerts were also held in the Czech Republic.

The cause of the fire has not yet been fully determined; it could have been caused by a malfunction in the electrical wiring or a discarded cigarette butt. Restoration work had been ongoing on the central spire at that time. According to investigators, no one intentionally set the cathedral on fire.

Notre-Dame Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady, is one of the symbols of Paris, attracting about 13 million visitors annually before the fire. It is now expected that the monument could attract up to 15 million visitors each year. Entry is currently free, but there are discussions about whether it should be charged.

The cornerstone of Notre-Dame was ceremoniously laid on the Île de la Cité in the Seine River in the spring of 1163, and the construction was completed in 1345.

The cathedral will open to the public on Sunday.