On the evening of April 15, the roof of the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris caught fire. Burning for over 15 hours, the French monument sustained serious damage, losing much of its roof and its signature spire. BYU–Hawaii students and faculty with connections to France spoke of the religious and cultural importance Notre Dame played in their lives and what the rebuilding of the cathedral means for France.
According to CBS News, Notre Dame de Paris, meaning “Our Lady of Paris” in French, was built between 1163 and 1345. It is considered the gold standard as far as Gothic architecture is concerned. During the French Revolution of the 1790s, the cathedral was neglected, but has since become a national monument of France, thanks in part to author Victor Hugo and his novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” The cathedral was undergoing another renovation when its roof caught fire.
In response to the fire, the French government has been investigating the cause. Meanwhile, numerous billionaires and even the United States White House have pledged money to help repair Notre Dame, decisions which have drawn both praise and criticism, according to CBS.
Abish Moncur, a senior from southern France majoring in graphic design, lived in Paris for four years. “Notre Dame is a special place for me. When I lived in Paris I used to walk by Notre Dame every time I went to church, since the chapel is not too far from there. It’s also part of our cultural heritage as French people and is a symbol of the medieval period of France. What I like the most about it is the size of it and the stained glass windows which give it a very mystical feeling when you’re inside.”
Moncur described the cathedral as a national treasure. She said, “People from all over the world come to see it whether they are Catholic or not. I remember the first time I went there and saw the crown of thorns in the glass box. Even if it’s not an LDS building, I get the feeling I am immersed a little bit more in biblical times when I go there.”
Wilhem Ficquet, a junior from Toulouse, France majoring in exercise and sport science, said he does not have a very personal connection to Notre Dame despite being French. Nevertheless, Fiquet said, “Any monument from any country represents its culture and history, and it is a tragedy Notre Dame caught fire and the roof was destroyed.
“Notre Dame is also a big symbol for the Catholic Church. In France, the Catholic Church is a big thing. Traditionally in France, churches were a place of refuge, a lot like Laie. In the time it was built, Notre Dame was a refuge for criminals and people on the run, and the police were not allowed to enter, because it was under the Pope’s protection.”
Opposite to Ficquet, Professor Yifen Beus holds a very personal connection to Notre Dame. She shared how it would always be a memorable part of her family’s travels and sojourns.
She said, “We lived in Paris for a semester when Brother Beus was conducting his dissertation research at the French National Library. A few years later we returned to stay for the summer, staying on the left bank of the Seine, just a five-minute walk from the Notre Dame Cathedral. We loved our evening walks to the cathedral when the sky did not go dark until late at night.”
As of April 16, over 700 million dollars has been raised by donations from billionaires to repair Notre Dame’s roof and spire, according to USA Today. These donations have sparked controversy, with some saying the money should go to help people rather than to rebuild a building.
In agreement to the protest, Ficquet said, “First, it was only the roof and spire which were destroyed. The rest of Notre Dame is fine because it is made of stone, just like the Salt Lake Temple. I think right now, there are over a billion dollars in donations to fix Notre Dame. I definitely think the money could be used for something better than fixing a building.”
Ficquet then explained the political and economic situation in France. “Right now, we have the Yellow Jackets protesting against the president. I find it strange that on the same day when President Emmanuel Macron was going to address the nation about economic problems and the high rate of unemployment, the cathedral burns. The exact day he was supposed to address the country’s problems, the cathedral catches fire, and he decided not to address the people, and seemed to think a building catching fire was a more important subject than his people.”
The Yellow Jackets is a French populist movement for economic justice. The movement has been motivated by rising fuel and housing prices, and what it sees as unfair taxation on the poor and middle classes in France, according to Politico.
“This is not the first time something has happened before the president was going to address the nation,” Fiquet said. “It seems all too convenient how every time Macron is supposed to address the nation about something they have been demanding for months now [while] the Yellow Jackets have been protesting for months too, [then] something happens.
Ficquet reassured he is not saying the building should not be rebuilt, but was frustrated because it would be fairly easy.
“[I believe] we [in] France, have people who are trained in the old ways of architecture. I personally don’t think it’s a top priority right now,” he said. “I think the main priority should be helping the people. If you have people in every single city in France protesting, they obviously have something to say. With the 700 million, think of how many people could be fed.”
Fiquet explained how holy buildings are important, but it is the people who give the buildings a purpose, and so helping people should come first. “Our church spends millions to build temples around the world, but also millions to help others and teach self-reliance. We don’t build buildings for the sake of building buildings. In Paris, we have a temple, but we give it meaning, which is how it becomes more than a fancy building.”
Beus said she had one distinct spiritual experience during her solo trip for a conference. “I attended a Saturday evening mass at Notre Dame. At the end of the mass, the priest led the procession followed by the cross-bearer, moving from the altar through the nave toward the main gate slowly opening up. I had never seen Notre Dame's main entrance gate open before.
“As the cathedral’s bells began to ring, I was deeply moved at the sight of the flood of light coming in from the gate just under the glorious rose window. I could not express how serene it felt. That very serene reminded me of one of the many purposes why cathedrals and churches are built.”
Writer: Elijah Hadley