Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris is on fire!

[Addie]

A shame. A lot of the old world wood craftsmanship inside burned up. I know it's too early to fix a cause, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be the same thing that nearly destroyed England's Windsor Castle, a welder not being careful with his torch.

Pirate and I had the very same thought together at the same time.

You know the saying; "Great minds think alike!" Yes, you are included in that.

 

[Addie]

Vows of poverty do not apply to the Church. They like to accumulate their wealth. I'd bet if the Vatican was asked to foot the bill for the cathedral's repair, they would refuse.

"Great minds think alike!"

 

[Addie]

The destruction is horrible but it could have been so much worse. So much still stands such as the towers and the magnificent rose window and more. There's heartbreaking sadness but much to be grateful for in the light of day.

A friend of mine went to Paris for her vacation. She took a picture of the Rose Window with just the daylight shining through it. If you think that is a beautiful site, then you would have swooned over the picture she took the next day when she returned and the sun was shining through. The colors were so intense. As I was looking through the rest of her pictures, I kept going back to just that one picture. I was so glad when I reached the end of her pictures. I just left that one picture showing. I couldn't take my eyes on it. All I could think of was, "Only God could create that kind of beauty."

In my mind's eye, I can still see that picture.

 

[Addie]

And since we are discussing a church, I am sure all of you have heard about the three churches that had mostly black congregations down in the deep south that were burnt to the ground. They have the person responsible for all three fires.

All I could think of was that whenever something bad happens to a church, whether it be mostly a black, white or mixed congregation, north or south, the members pull together and rebuild. Meanwhile other places of worship make their physical facilities available to those that need a place to worship at no expense.

 

[caseydog]

I don't think of it as a church. To me, it is a timeless example of Gothic architecture. Buildings like that took decades to build. I believe it took about 100 years to build Notre Dame.

The cathedral was receiving renovations, due to the fact that it is eight-and-a-half centuries old. That was being paid for by the government and private donors.

CD

 

[Caslon]

When I think of Notre Dame I think of that 1939 classic film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Quasimodo uses some of the building's scaffolding and ropes (under construction still) to rescue Esmeralda. The spiral that burned and fell was added much later on I think.

 

[caseydog]

When I think of Notre Dame I think of that 1939 classic film "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Quasimodo uses some of the building's scaffolding and ropes (under construction still) to rescue Esmeralda. The spiral that burned and fell was added much later on I think.

I believe the spire was added as part of a renovation after the book was written, but long before the movie came out.

CD

 

[taxlady]

According to Wikipedia:

The spire of the cathedral—originally in place between the 13th and 18th centuries, and recreated in the 19th century—was destroyed in a fire in 2019.

 

[Caslon]

As long as there's still the two towers left with my Quasimodo in mind, then good. That scene where he uses nearby scaffolding and ropes to rescue Maureen Ohara, classic scene. Maybe the spiral was being built.

 

[Claire1980]

I thought they going to restore it this year already but it seems that's not going to happen
https://www.wsj.com/articles/notre-dame-cathedrals-restoration-stumbles-11564651800

 

[GotGarlic]

I can't read the article because I don't have a subscription to the WSJ. I read at the time that it would take years to restore it. I could see them starting the planning process this year, but I don't think there's any way they could finish the restoration in one year.

 

[taxlady]

I thought they going to restore it this year already but it seems that's not going to happen
https://www.wsj.com/articles/notre-dame-cathedrals-restoration-stumbles-11564651800

I couldn't read that article. It's behind a pay wall.

Also, only a fraction of the money promised by those billionaires for the repairs has actually been donated so far. https://www.rt.com/business/463649-notre-dame-billionaires-donations/