PARIS — In the aftermath of an inferno that ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral, Parisians struggled to accept the enormity of what happened to a treasured national symbol and searched for silver linings in what had been spared and what could be salvaged amid the smoldering hulk of the 850-year-old Gothic building.
After a day of near-paralyzing spectacle, France stirred to life again Tuesday. Inspectors investigated, conservationists assessed the damage, church officials fashioned Holy Week contingency plans, pledges of financial rebuilding aid poured in, and ordinary Parisians shared stories of where they were when the first flames erupted and how they were dealing with the aftermath.
A somber French President Emmanuel Macron tried to catch the national mood, acknowledging the deep wound to the national psyche and setting an ambitious goal of restoring the cathedral to its glory in just five years.
“We have so much to rebuild,” Mr. Macron said in a televised address to the nation. “We will rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral even more beautifully. We can do it.”
As the scope of the devastation emerged with the new day — and more hopeful reports that much of the structure could be saved and many priceless artworks had been spared from the inferno — ordinary Parisians tried to process their feelings and chart the road ahead.
“I’m traumatized,” said Agnes Cerighelli. She said she ran to see the cathedral Monday night soon after she learned about the fire. “I’m a very religious Catholic.”
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“There were wars, revolutions, terrible events that happened in France, and this monument survived,” she said. “I want someone punished for this.”
The cathedral, with its famous stained-glass windows and signature flying buttresses, took 200 years to build, beginning in 1163. It’s in the heart of the capital’s first settlement, and many Parisians — and French from all communities and faiths — associate it as a symbol of the city and the country.
From the Vatican, Pope Francis spoke by phone with Mr. Macron, and Vatican officials said the Holy See would offer its own art and restoration specialists to consult on reconstruction efforts.
Crowds gathered close to the site Tuesday morning to pay their respects, pray or just see for themselves that this icon of Paris was still standing. Cellist Gautier Capucon played “Apres un Reve” (“After a Dream”) by 19th-century French composer Gabriel Faure, to express his shock and sorrow. The mournful notes of the cello brought some passersby to tears as they gazed at the cathedral behind him.
Mr. Capucon said he had no choice but to come to Notre Dame, that he had to do something to defeat his “tears and feeling of total helplessness at what happened.”
“It’s more like ’After a nightmare,’” the cellist told the broadcaster Europe 1. “I could not help coming here. I needed to see it with my own eyes.”
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Remembering the good times
Others said they came to remember the happy times they spent at Notre Dame.
“What was really shocking was that yesterday we were in the cathedral during a service,” said Camille Bruin, 13, who was visiting the cathedral with her family. “It was beautiful. It’s such a shame what happened.”
Authorities said the fire, which was mostly extinguished by 3:30 a.m. local time, was likely an accident tied to renovation work on the now-destroyed rook and spire, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said. He said there was no evidence that the fire was set deliberately.
“We will do everything we can to find the truth about how this terrible fire started,” he said.
The Associated Press, quoting a Paris judicial official, said investigators have questioned about 30 people after the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. He said most of them were employees working to renovate the monument.
The cathedral’s fire alarms sounded twice Monday evening, officials said. The first time, some people, including a fire official permanently working at the site, checked under the roof and saw nothing. The second time, it was too late because the fire was overwhelming, the official told the wire service.
French officials said the structure of Notre Dame may be compromised. Even amid the uncertainty, many expressed gratitude that the majority of artworks and artifacts were saved.
Confirmed saved were the belfries, the stands and the main structure, the organs, relics including the reputed Christ’s Crown of Thorns and the tunic of St. Louis, as well as a piece of the Cross and a nail of the Passion. Also safe were the 16 statues adorning the spire depicting the 12 apostles and the four evangelists, which had been moved fortuitously last week for restoration. The statue of a rooster that sat on top of the spire that collapsed was found in the rubble intact.
In more hopeful news, Notre Dame heritage director Laurent Prades told reporters that only one piece of significant architecture inside the sacred building had been damaged. Mr. Prades said the high altar installed 30 years ago was hit and harmed by the cathedral’s spire when it came crashing down in the flames.
“We have been able to salvage all the rest,” said Mr. Prades, who witnessed the recovery firsthand overnight, according to AP.
“All the 18th century steles, the pietas, frescoes, chapels and the big organ are fine,” he said. Among the most famous elements inside the cathedral, the three large stained-glass rose windows have not been destroyed, though they may have been damaged by the intense heat, Mr. Prades said.
Gabriel Plus, spokesman for the Paris fire service, told Le Figaro, “All the works of art that were in the ’treasure’ category were saved.” In total, Notre Dame Cathedral lost an estimated 5% to 10% of its works, he said.
But the fire destroyed two-thirds of the original wooden roof and put into jeopardy large paintings known as the big “Mays” representing the lives of the apostles that hung around the cathedral, dating to the 17th century. There was also damage and destruction to some of the stained-glass windows, some dating back to the 13th century. Their frames, made of lead, made them vulnerable to the heat, officials said.
In addition to expressions of sadness and solidarity from the U.S. and other nations around the world, officials were inundated with pledges of hundreds of millions of dollars for renovation work, from local and foreign governments, foundations, companies such as Total, L’Oreal and Apple, and French billionaires such as Bernard Arnault and his LVMH luxury goods group.
Preparing for Holy Week
The fire erupted as France and its churches were entering Holy Week in advance of Easter Sunday. On Tuesday, church officials began to prepare for alternative services at nearby churches. Notre Dame, which does not host a congregation of its own, still holds regular Mass, including during the Easter season.
Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit said the Catholic Church would hold a special Mass to honor Notre Dame on Wednesday at the nearby Saint-Sulpice Church.
“It will be an opportunity for all of us to show our unity, our fervor and our confidence in the future,” he said in a statement. “We feel that we will not only have to rebuild our cathedral but also rebuild our Church whose face is so wounded.”
In the early evening Tuesday, almost 300 people gathered for a special prayer vigil near the cathedral. At 6:50 p.m., exactly 24 hours after the blaze started, bells across France rang in solidarity with the diocese of Paris.
The cathedral’s neighbors were still adjusting the shock of the fire and the looming changes in their own lives.
Virginie Aranda, 31, was at her flower shop — one of many — next to Notre Dame, as usual, Tuesday morning. As Easter approaches, the week is usually busy for this cluster of florists. It won’t be this week.
“With this catastrophe, there’s no people. We had to close today,” she said. “Normally, 500 people visit our shop every day, but today we had only two customers.
“Without Notre Dame, there’s nobody, so there’s no business here now.”
She recalled sadly how the cathedral looked only a few months ago during the holiday season.
“There was a beautiful Christmas tree in front of the Notre Dame, but now this … this is very sad,” she said.
The tragedy resonated with people of all faiths.
“For Catholics, this is an important week of the year, of course,” said Fabien, 50, who came to see the damage to the cathedral. “But this touches a lot of religions, everybody. I can’t really explain why, but it’s just a feeling inside the heart of everyone and everyone has a connection with this building.
“That’s why the cathedral isn’t just a building,” he said.
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