Trump to visit Paris on Dec 7, attend Notre Dame Cathedral's reopening

Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump will visit Paris over the weekend to attend the re-opening of the historic Notre Dame Cathedral.

Considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, the 13th century cathedral was destroyed in a fire on April 15, 2019.

It took five years to completely restore the historic building.

In a post on social media platform Truth Social, Trump said, “It is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the magnificent and historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago.”

“(French) President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!” Trump said.

The reopening ceremonies will begin on December 7 and 8, followed by an octave of events until December 15, including two concerts of Jean-Sébastien Bach’s Magnificat on December 17 and 18.

“This is a very big moment, eagerly awaited by the whole world,” Olivier Josse, secretary general for the cathedral was quoted as saying by National Geographic.

The great joy in reopening corresponds to intense anticipation, manifested by a desire to come and rediscover Notre Dame, he said.

“If I have to use just one word, it’s ‘patience’. Everyone will need to show patience,” Josse said.

The reopening service, presided over by the Archbishop of Paris, will take place late in the afternoon, in the presence of Macron and Trump, officials, donors, representatives of all the parishes of Paris, members of the cathedral chapter, and the Parisian clergy.

During the ceremony, the Archbishop will strike the closed door of Notre-Dame with his staff. The cathedral will “respond” with the singing of Psalm 121, three times.

The cathedral, which had been silent, will once again resonate with the song of praise, and on the third time, the doors will open.

The inaugural Mass, with the consecration of the high altar, will take place on December 8, at 10.30 am, presided over by the Archbishop of Paris.

At the invitation of Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world will participate in the celebration, along with one priest from each of the 106 parishes in the Diocese of Paris, and one priest from each of the seven Eastern Catholic Churches, accompanied by faithful from these communities.