Notre Dame - some 850 years old, in the process of renovations. Certainly the interior is gravely damaged. Priceless art destroyed, in a building that took two centuries to build. It took several hours to burn. Millions of people are in shock. It isn't just because a building in Paris burned. It is because a symbol of art, faith, great literature and so much more burned as we were able to watch live on television or online.
Watching video of crowds singing hymns in the nighttime, lit by the flames, gave me chills.
As I blog this, knowing that this is Holy Week for Christians, we don't know yet if the Crown of Thorns relic was able to be saved.
A brief history of Notre Dame.
Paris has suffered much in the past 100 years. War. Terrorism. Destruction. But there is so much history, and now another chapter of history is being written.
There is hope, as fundraising for rebuilding begins tomorrow. Fire has destroyed before. It will destroy again. But humanity knows how to rebuild. And, there is a lot that was not destroyed. The organ was saved. Many of the rose windows are intact. Many artworks are safe (some removed just last week as part of the renovation.) The original stone arch of the roof remains. There is hope.
Here's another take on the subject of Notre Dame, one I never would have thought of.
"N" day on the #AtoZChallenge. My theme (abandoned for today) "Finding America through Photos".
It was a sad, sad day ....so much was lost, but so much was saved.
ReplyDeleteYes as you said there is hope and we must hold on to that.
ReplyDeleteVisiting from atoz http://namysaysso.com/blog/pablo-neruda-poem-im-getting-things-off-chest/
I thought I heard the artwork and relics were saved. I could be wrong about that, though.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how this happened right before N day...
My daughter and I spent 2 hours in Notre Dame almost a year ago to the day it burned. I wish we had had a chance to hear the organ, but we would have probably had to have gone to a scheduled concert. I'm glad we chose to spend some of our time in Paris at the cathedral (instead of waiting hours in line at the Eiffel Tower, which was another possibility we had discussed.)
ReplyDeleteIn the scope of earth's history, 850 years is just a blip! Nothing lasts forever. It was sad to see some of what humans universally cherish burned up - but it is a good reminder as well - that 'things' are not what is important in life. Much was lost but it will be rebuilt. Much was saved ... this time.
ReplyDeleteI heard that the Crown of Thorns was saved, by the way.
ReplyDelete