Over five years, hundreds of millions of dollars, and thousands of specialized artisans later, Notre Dame Cathedral is finally ready to reopen in December. Meanwhile, Paris officials are proposing a controversial entry fee for the iconic Gothic landmark.
Notre Dame Reopens Five Years After Fire
In April 2019, the world watched as Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire. The blaze devastated the historic Gothic church, destroying its 19th-century spire and most of its wooden roof, as well as heavily damaging its upper stone walls. Several religious relics and artworks were moved from the burning cathedral to safety, but many suffered smoke damage. Some of the exterior art at Notre Dame Cathedral was also damaged or destroyed. Following nonstop reconstruction efforts over the past five years, Notre Dame Cathedral is finally ready to reopen to the public. Paris will hold a series of public events before and after the official reopening date of December 8, 2024.
Culture Minister Proposes Notre Dame Entry Fee
Ahead of Notre Dame Cathedral’s grand reopening, Rachida Dati, France’s minister of culture, proposed a new €5 entrance fee for visitors. “Across Europe, visitors pay to access the most remarkable religious sites. With 5 euros per visitor at Notre Dame, we could save churches all over France. It would be a beautiful symbol,” Dati said in a recent interview. She added that the fee could raise up to €75 million annually, a sum that would be used to protect and restore historical monuments. That estimate is based on the expectation that the newly-opened Notre Dame will welcome 15 million visitors in 2025.
In response to the proposed entry fee, the Archdiocese of Paris issued a statement, saying, “Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris wishes to recall the unchanged position of the Catholic Church in France regarding free entry to churches and cathedrals.” Dati countered with a post on X that said, “Masses and religious services should remain free, of course, but each cultural visitor should contribute to the preservation of our heritage.” Catholic clerics shot back again, citing the impossibility of distinguishing between religious visitors and tourists. Critics are also pointing out that a Notre Dame entry fee may violate a 1905 French law that prohibits the taxation of church visits.
Celebration and Ceremony at Notre Dame
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Three days of city celebrations and Catholic ceremonies will precede the official reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral on December 8, 2024. Events include the relighting of the cathedral’s grand organ, a liturgical blessing, and musical programs. There will also be a public procession through the streets of Paris commemorating the return of a 14th-century statue of the Madonna and Child, which survived the 2019 fire.
On Sunday, December 8—the Second Sunday of Advent—Notre Dame Cathedral will hold its first Mass since the reconsecration of its altar. The Immaculate Conception will be celebrated on December 9, continuing centuries of Marian devotional tradition at the Gothic cathedral.
