Today Notre Dame Cathedral Reawakens

1 

I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?
 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
 The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.
 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
    from this time on and forevermore.

            Psalm 121 A Song of Ascents NRSVue

Today is the official reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral after five years of restoration following a catastrophic fire in 2019. Of course the seemingly endless media reports about the reopening are inclined toward terms such as "miraculous" and "resurrection" to describe what has unfolded. 

Regular readers will know that I've written probably a half dozen blog entries about the process because I am fascinated on a number of fronts. Notre Dame is one of the great architectural achievements of Western culture and it deserved to survive. And while a billion dollars for the work seems appalling, wife Ruth observed while we were watching the 60 Minutes piece last Sunday that governments toss about billions for the instruments of war without a blink -- that really is obscene. 

The restoration involved wonder after wonder of meticulous effort and apparently some of the trades and artisanal skills have experienced a resurgence as a result. 

A few observations about this grand reopening. Today's Globe and Mail brought us back to the story of eight blacksmiths from Quebec who spent four months in France forging the medieval axes used to fashion the "forest", the latticework of oak beams holding up the vast roof. The lead smith says that there were never more than a couple of those tools around at a time because they were whisked away for use as fast as they were created. 

                                               The landscape rendering by architect Bas Smets

Few of the media reports look beyond the building to the plans for the grounds surrounding the cathedral, essentially creating a micro-climate, a sanctuary. According to a news release:

The ambitious, future-facing project will create 1,800 square metres (around 20,000 square feet) of green space and plant 160 trees, according to a news conference at City Hall that featured speeches from Paris officials, including Mayor Anne Hidalgo...Hidalgo stated that the redesign will integrate nature and the Seine more fully into the area. Hidalgo emphasised that this transformation aims “to better highlight our beautiful cathedral and do it justice, while respecting its history.”

This work won't be completed until 2030 but it is a hopeful project, an urban forest at the base of the architectural "forest" which actually required cutting down hundreds of mature oak trees.

These two days of official celebration will require tickets issued to a select group, an unsettling reality that seems contrary to the gospel, let alone The Hunchback of Notre Dame the early 19th century Victor Hugo novel which explores themes of poverty and an unjust society.

Last, but far from least, today's service will include the elements listed below. I love that music will be key to this reawakening and that the organ (8,000) pipes) will be ceremonially summoned back to life. There will be a workers choir made up of 80 engineers, carpenters, crane operators and others who were part of the restoration. Be still my heart.

Please note that the Magnificat is peasant Mary's song of praise acknowledging her role in the birth of the Messiah who will overturn the "powers that be." Mary is "Notre Dame", "Our Lady." President Macron, listen carefully. 

During the ritual of the opening of the doors, the Archbishop will strike the closed door of Notre-Dame de Paris with his crosier. The cathedral will “respond” by chanting Psalm 121 three times. After being silent for years, the cathedral will resound once again with songs of praise, and on the third chant, the doors will open.

Following this initial rite, the service will unfold in three parts:

• The awakening of the grand organ: After opening the service with the sign of the cross, the Archbishop will bless the instrument. Eight times, he will address the grand organ, and it will respond.
• The chanting of the service: This will include a hymn, a psalm, the Magnificat, prayer intentions for the world, and the Lord’s Prayer.
• The final blessing and the Te Deum: The Archbishop will conclude the ceremony with a blessing, followed by the chanting of the Te Deum.

Mary’s Song of Praise

 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;
 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
 he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Luke 1:46-55 NRSVue

PARIS (AP) — A medieval statue of the Virgin Mary and Child, known as “The Virgin of Paris,” returned to Notre Dame cathedral