A lone bell on Wednesday rang out from what remains of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, in the sole commemoration to mark a year since a massive blaze nearly destroyed one of the world’s most revered monuments.
Reconstruction of the medieval cathedral has been halted, with France under lockdown over the deadly COVID-19 outbreak.
The bell, dubbed “Emmanuel,” in the cathedral’s south tower, rang out at 8pm, the hour French people have become accustomed to gather at their windows and on balconies to applaud health workers on the front lines of the battle against the virus that has killed more than 17,000 people in France.
Photo: EPA-EFE
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday vowed to do everything possible to ensure the 13th-century masterpiece is restored to its former glory within five years — a timeframe already judged optimistic by many, and now further imperiled.
“We will reconstruct the Notre-Dame in five years, I promised. We will do everything to meet this deadline. Yes, construction is at a halt for the moment due to the health crisis, but it will resume as soon as possible,” he said in a video message.
The ferocious blaze, watched in horror by millions of television viewers worldwide, has not been forgotten even if “our days, our thoughts, our lives are usurped” by the coronavirus outbreak, he said.
“If the restoration of Notre-Dame is important to us all, it is clearly also because it is a symbol of the resilience of our people, of their ability to overcome trials, and to recover,” he said.
The 13-tonne bell is the cathedral’s oldest, installed in 1686 at the behest of King Louis XIV, the Notre-Dame Web site said.
Its chime has punctuated most major events in France since then, and in a solemn gesture was the only commemoration scheduled for Wednesday.
Firefighters battled through the night on April 15 last year to save the cathedral from the blaze, which ravaged its roof and dramatically toppled the steeple.
Macron had promised a herculean effort to have the UNESCO heritage site restored in time for the Paris Olympics of 2024.
However, even before the pandemic struck, work had been delayed by decontamination efforts. More than 300 tonnes of lead from the roof melted in the blaze, covering the site in toxic particles.
The fragile structure remains at risk, and massive wooden beams are propping up the arches and gables. Workers have not even removed the tangled web of metal scaffolding that fused together in the inferno, which had erupted during renovation work on the roof.
This needs to happen before they can install a more durable temporary roof to protect the church’s priceless artworks from rain.
Prosecutors suspect faulty electrical wiring or a poorly extinguished cigarette caused the blaze.
Officials still have to decide a crucial question: Rebuild the cathedral exactly as it was, using traditional techniques and materials, or incorporate a modern touch?
Macron has said he is in favor of a “contemporary” touch for the spire.
However, the project’s chief architect, Philippe Villeneuve, has refused to countenance any glass spire, rooftop garden or other modernistic proposals and opinion polls suggest most French people agree with him.
More than 900 million euros (nearly US$1 billion) have been given or pledged by about 340,000 companies and individuals worldwide to restore the cathedral.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
RSS