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yoyobon_gw

OT....Notre Dame

yoyobon_gw
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

Is Paris Burning ? by Collins & Lapierre

Yesterday as I watched the horror of Notre Dame Cathedral burning I recalled this book written about the liberation of Paris in August 1944.

The title is a quote from Hitler, an order he had given to all his troops in the event that the liberation reached their headquarters in Paris. They were to burn Paris to the ground as they left . Fortunately there were those who chose to disobey.

In this book there is a passage especially meaningful .....and it references a priest whom I knew and who served in our parish for many years during the 60s and 70s. The first morning after the liberation he said Mass in Notre Dame, the first Mass allowed in over four years.

The author wrote :
"For many GIs, the most memorable moment of this post-liberation day took place early in the morning at Notre-Dame Cathedral. There, on the side altar of Saint Joseph, in borrowed French vestments, Father Leonard Fries said Mass "for the men of the 12th Regiment we left behind on the road to Paris." Kneeling in the somber sunlight filtering down into the great cathedral, over 300 GIs , their M1s or carbines in one hand, their helmets cupped under the other, were present at the Mass. "

Comments (13)

  • sheri_z6
    4 years ago

    It was so hard to watch the footage of the fire yesterday, it just broke my heart. I was there over Easter weekend in 1985 with a dear friend (now long deceased) and it brought back a lot of memories. We were still students, so the trip involved backpacks and hostels and miles of walking and I had wrenched my knee at some point and couldn't climb all the stairs to the top -- now how I wish I had! We did go in for Mass though, and I lit a candle for my father there. Notre Dame is one of those places that feels eternal, and as the stone
    still stands I'm hopeful it will be rebuilt. What a terrible loss.

  • woodnymph2_gw
    4 years ago

    I was lucky enough to live in Paris for one year while studying at the Sorbonne. Notre Dame was one of my favorite spots and I still have the 2 watercolors I did of it. I am glad I climbed the tower all the way to the top.. I read that 2 French billionaires have donated a lot of money to help with its restoration. Thankfully, the 2 bell towers survived and they got a lot of the artwork and relics out.

  • msmeow
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I just read that the rose window appears to be intact, as well. And the pipe organ did not burn but they don't know yet if it was damaged by water.

  • yoyobon_gw
    Original Author
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    Wouldn't it be wonderful if all the overly rich stars/pols/athletes/industry giants created a " Restore Notre Dame " fund and donated a huge amount back to the world that has made them so ridiculously wealthy.

  • carolyn_ky
    4 years ago

    More likely, all us "little people" will contribute what we can and get the job done. I saw today that President Macron said it will be completely restored in five years. I've been in Paris three times and seen it each visit, but I never climbed the steps to the tower. The last time was for our 25th wedding anniversary, and we stayed just over on the Left Bank quite close to the cathedral.

    Maybe we should all read The Hunchback of Notre Dame again,

  • Rosefolly
    4 years ago

    It sounds as though there is great interest in rebuilding. I doubt it will happen in the "five years" I have heard mentioned, but perhaps a start can be made that quickly, and perhaps it can even be finished in a generation. My fingers are crossed.

    (which makes typing difficult.)

  • yoyobon_gw
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Over 900 million euros has been donated in the two days since the disaster with more coming in. The estimated cost is 1.5 billion euros or slightly more.

  • vee_new
    4 years ago

    yoyo, interesting about the priest you used to know with his connection to Notre Dame. I think it is memories such as this that help keep history alive and meaningful.

  • yoyobon_gw
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Vee....you are so right. The last few books I've read seem to all take place in London during WWII and this disaster at Notre Dame resonated with me in a very strong way.

  • netla
    4 years ago

    I'm regretting my decision to not insist on going inside when I was in Paris with my parents last year, but now I can pledge to visit it when the restoration ends.

    I wonder if there exists a history of Notre Dame in English? It would be interesting to read about it's building and alterations that have taken place over the centuries, as well as the events the church has survived through.

  • yoyobon_gw
    Original Author
    4 years ago

    Netla, if you search Amazon you will find many books about the history of Notre Dame.

  • cindy-6b/7a VA
    4 years ago

    Actually, Victor Hugo wrote 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' to save the cathedral back then.