Reopening of Notre-Dame: a message from the Pope to the French is added to the program of celebrations

Francis, who will not attend the reopening ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday, "sent a message to the Archbishop of Paris, addressed to the French people, which will be read at the start of the celebration on December 7," the cathedral's rector-archpriest, Olivier Ribadeau-Dumas, said during a briefing with the press.

The Pope, however, must go to Corsica, to Ajaccio, on December 15.

The celebrations at Notre-Dame will open at 19:00 p.m. on the cathedral forecourt with a film retracing the events since the fire of April 15, 2019, the causes of which have not been determined, and paying tribute to the rescuers of this masterpiece of Gothic art that is more than 860 years old, as well as to the builders who renovated it, the Elysée added during this briefing.

A speech by the President of the Republic, in difficulty after the censorship and the resignation of the government, is planned for around 19:30 p.m., focusing in particular on the "art of being French". It should last about fifteen minutes.

Before that, a text by the French poet Louis Aragon will be read by the member of the Comédie-Française Eric Ruf and a "musical moment" performed by the brothers Renaud and Gautier Capuçon, violinist and cellist.

"Address the Cathedral"

Then will come the moment that the whole world has been waiting for for more than five years: the reopening of Notre-Dame by the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, who "will address the cathedral" and "knock on the doors with his crozier", said his vice-rector, Father Guillaume Normand.

Bishop Ulrich will then welcome guests to the building, whose new blond colours were unveiled on Friday during a site visit by Emmanuel Macron.

Among them, 35 heads of state and government have confirmed their presence, including the American president-elect Donald Trump, the King of the Belgians Philippe, the presidents of the Republic of Congo Denis Sassou-Nguesso and the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Tshisekedi, the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pachinian and Albert II of Monaco.

The wife of the American president, Jill Biden, will also make the trip and this list is expected to grow, according to the Elysée.

A religious ceremony will begin around 20:15 p.m., for around 45 minutes, before a concert around 21:30 p.m., which should last between two hours fifteen and two hours thirty, organized by France Télévisions and co-broadcast by Radio France.

It will feature the Notre-Dame de Paris Choir and the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Venezuelan maestro Gustavo Dudamel.

Also among the artists called are Chinese virtuoso pianist Lang Lang, South African soprano Pretty Yende and French-Swiss tenor Benjamin Bernheim.

A pop touch will be brought by Clara Luciani, Vianney and Garou, very popular in France, or even the Franco-Beninese Angélique Kidjo.

While the names of Paul McCartney and Pharrell Williams have been mentioned, Véronique Creissels, the cathedral's communications director, wants to "keep a little bit of secrecy on the final list" of artists involved.

Two masses

On Sunday, two masses are planned, at 10:30 a.m. and 18:30 p.m. The first, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron, heads of state and government as well as religious figures, will culminate in the consecration of the altar. The second will be open to the public, upon registration.

An exceptional security system, inspired by that of the Paris Olympic Games this summer, is planned in a context of "very high level of terrorist threat", according to the police headquarters, with 6.000 police officers and gendarmes mobilized.

Only guests will be able to access the forecourt, which has a maximum capacity of 3.000 people. On the high quays near the cathedral, an "area will be set up" to accommodate a maximum of 40.000 people.

Extended opening hours, specific services and those for the general public will follow one another until Pentecost, with a new free online reservation system to facilitate the flow of visitors, who numbered 12 million in 2017. The diocese now expects "14 to 15 million" each year.

The reconstruction and restoration project will have mobilized 250 companies as well as hundreds of craftsmen. And cost nearly 700 million euros, financed by 846 million in donations from around the world.

The remaining money will be "reallocated to urgent restorations of the exteriors", according to Philippe Jost, who took over the reins of the public establishment at the head of the project after the death of General Jean-Louis Georgelin in August 2023.