Dec. 8, 2024, 6:27 PM UTC
PARIS — Notes boomed from the meticulously cleaned grand organ, the choir’s voices echoed off of walls scrubbed clean of scorch marks, and light shone through restored stained glass windows.
Hundreds flocked to Notre Dame’s first Sunday Mass since a fire ravaged the beloved landmark five years ago to mark the cathedral’s rebirth and witness the consecration of its altar.
Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich presided over the Mass, which was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, who helped oversee the official reopening of the cathedral on Saturday in an evening of celebration and ceremony, and first lady Brigitte Macron.
Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world had been set to participate in Sunday’s Mass, along with one priest from each of the 106 parishes in the Diocese of Paris and one from each of the seven Eastern Catholic Churches. They were accompanied by faithful from within their communities.
Members of the clergy arrive to attend Mass.Julien De Rosa / AFP – Getty Images
The robes worn during the morning mass were crafted by French fashion designer Jean-Charles Castelbajac and bore his signature style, boasting bold primary colors to convey the joy of the the day’s service.
“I wanted something very pure,” Castelbajac said in the lead-up to the weekend’s celebrations.
Ulrich after the consecration of the new main altar.Julien De Rosa / AFP – Getty Images
He added that the rector-archpriest of Notre Dame, Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, had asked that the robes reflect “nobility and simplicity.”
“I did everything with my scissors. I didn’t draw. I cut,” he said, “to make it very pure.”
Worshippers attend Sunday Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral.Julien De Rosa / AFP – Getty Images
The inaugural Mass came after thousands of people lined the streets surrounding Notre Dame on Saturday night to watch as the Gothic masterpiece opened its doors to the public for the first time. The event included royalty, heads of state and dignitaries from around the world, including first lady Jill Biden, President-elect Donald Trump and Britain’s Prince William.
Spectators watch the Mass on a screen outside the cathedral.Aurelien Morissard / AP
Sunday’s Mass marked the consecration of the cathedral’s new altar, which was carried out in five steps. The relics of five saints were placed and sealed within the altar.
Ulrich blesses the altar.Alessandra Tarantino / Pool via AP
A sculpture of 19th century Archbishop Marie-Dominique-Auguste Sibour next to stained glass windows.Julien De Rosa / AFP – Getty Images
The relics belonged to three women and two men who “marked the history of the Church in Paris,” according to the cathedral’s website, including St. Marie Eugénie Milleret, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, St. Catherine Labouré, St. Charles de Foucauld and Blessed Vladimir Ghika.
A prayer of dedication was followed by the anointing with oil,