The 'Miraculous' Return of the 'Virgin and Child' Statue to Notre-Dame in Paris

In France, on the eve of the religious holiday of Christmas, efforts to grandly reopen the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris have intensified five years after the major fire that occurred there. The doors of this church are set to open to the public on the evening of Saturday, December 7. The fire that started in April 2019 from the roof of this 800-year-old cathedral quickly spread to other parts of the church, completely destroying the unique spire and a significant portion of its roof. A dense cloud of smoke from this fire engulfed not only the city of Paris but also, through images broadcast on television and social media, left the entire population of France and even some around the world in a state of shock and awe. Camille Pascal, a French historian, told BFM TV that the fire destroyed a 'priceless heritage.' Notre-Dame de Paris is more than just a church; its construction began in 1160 in Gothic architecture and significant parts were completed by 1260. The cathedral gained global fame, especially with Victor Hugo's novel 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame' published in 1831; since then, many films and operas have been made based on this novel. The church has also featured many paintings by prominent artists. Notre-Dame de Paris, which is considered the cathedral of Paris, is not only the most important church in terms of religion in the French capital but also one of the main tourist attractions of the city, with over thirteen million visitors annually before the fire. The cathedral has also played an important role in modern times. On August 26, 1944, the French national anthem was sung at Notre-Dame Cathedral in the presence of General de Gaulle and General Leclerc. For years, Notre-Dame de Paris has acted beyond a cathedral and has become a cultural symbol and a world heritage site. In 1991, Notre-Dame Cathedral, along with other historical buildings around the Seine, was registered with UNESCO. Due to this historical and cultural significance, French officials are making efforts to pay attention to various aspects of the cathedral for its reopening. For 800 years, Notre-Dame has witnessed Paris, and over the centuries, its bells have tolled for both joyful and sorrowful events. Recently, the sound of the bells of Notre-Dame de Paris resonated once again in the heart of the French capital after more than five years. All these bells are new, and one of them was showcased at the Paris Olympic Games in the city's stadium. Additionally, church officials, on the eve of the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, returned the famous statue of the 'Virgin and Child,' which refers to the Virgin Mary and the infant Christ, to the church during a ceremony in Paris. Hundreds of devout Christians, holding candles, accompanied the statue, which was unharmed by the fire, to Notre-Dame Cathedral. One of the nuns present at the ceremony told AFP, 'I really wanted to participate in the prayers of the people of Paris who are very happy to see this statue saved from the flames again, and when we think about it, it feels like a miracle.' For the new phase of activity of this cathedral, new votive candles have been ordered, which are being made in the religious city of Lourdes in southern France. One of the workers at the workshop where these candles are made said, 'This small item is a new votive for Notre-Dame de Paris that will be placed in this church on December 8. It consists of a bowl, an inner part filled with soy, and a cotton wick.' He added, 'The assembly of these three things makes this small candle, and all its components are made in France. Its bowl is made in southern France, the soy is sourced from Toulouse, and its wick is from Normandy, and here in Lourdes, we connect all these components.' He also mentioned the use of soy instead of paraffin in the candles, stating, 'The advantage of soy compared to paraffin is that it produces less heat and emits less carbon dioxide and pollution. That's why we use soy.' In addition to the environmental aspects, officials have also focused on preserving the artistic values of the church. Seven tapestries designed by contemporary Spanish and British artists are set to be woven for Notre-Dame. The cathedral has housed valuable embroidery since the 13th century, but many of these works were lost over time after the French Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. The destruction of historical works has a history dating back to the French Revolution, and the term 'vandalism' was first used by Henri Gregoire, a French Christian priest, in protest against the destruction of religious buildings. Anthony Quinn, an American actor, played Quasimodo in a film adaptation of 'The Hunchback of Notre-Dame' made in 1956. Victor Hugo, by highlighting Notre-Dame Cathedral, joined protests against the ruling regime and demanded the protection of historical buildings. Although he was not very religious, a year after the publication of 'Notre-Dame de Paris,' he strongly protested against the idea of 'destroying artistic and historical works' in Paris under the pretext of urban development in 'La Revue de Deux Mondes.' For the reopening of Notre-Dame, embroideries based on the paintings of great 20th-century artists are set to be displayed in this church.