Stained glass pictures, old historic towers and spirals and sacred wooden pews were ravaged by flames when the Notre Dame cathedral caught fire in April of 2019. As a Catholic and a “history dork” (as my older brother affectionately calls me), I always dreamed of seeing the amazing gothic cathedral one day. When much of the French building was destroyed by the terrible fire, I know I was not the only person heartbroken to see the damage that ensued, such as the original architects’ efforts that were lost forever. But luckily before the fire was even fully extinguished, thousands of people were already planning Notre Dame’s reconstruction. It was announced that the cathedral would be carefully and meticulously restored exactly as it had been before the fire. And in addition, that the project would be finished in time for the 2024 Olympics, which France is set to host. However, what I did not know was that that plan only extended to the exterior of Notre Dame, not the interior.
In recent years, new plans have been leaked to the world detailing how the reconstruction of the inside of Notre Dame will not be held to the same historical standards as the cathedral’s exterior. Instead of replacing the pews, the stained glass windows and all the sacred Catholic artifacts and representations that made the Notre Dame cathedral the epitome of French Catholicism, the interior will instead be exempt from most, if not all, Catholic memorabilia. British journalists Henry Samuel and Tim Stanley wrote an exposé on the reconstruction and informed readers of the major impending changes: mood lights as well as light and sound effects will be used to transform the cathedral into an “emotional space” and “themed chapel.” The historic Notre Dame will now be a “discovery trail” showcasing an emphasis on African and Asian countries. Biblical verses in different languages from all over the world will be projected onto the once beautiful walls and emotional safe spaces will take the place of confessional boxes and altars. The final chapel on this “discovery trail” will be focused on the environment, not Catholicism.
Anticipating their readers’ questions about how these plans could get approved, Samuel and Stanley point out that the exterior of the Notre Dame is being reconstructed with true medieval architecture as a result of heavy public pressure. However, the interior renovations have been left to the discretion of the French archdiocese, who do not need to take nor follow anyone’s input but their own. The journalists argue that this is a global scandal because of the billions of dollars of international donations and French taxpayer money that is being spent on the reconstruction, but sparse information about what people’s money is going towards is being shared. After the French Revolution, the French government assumed control of the churches of France, so they have the final say in instilling these new plans. And they, like the French archdiocese, are also hiding the reconstruction plans from the public and are quickly pushing ahead this rebuilding process.
Christopher Rousselot is the director-in-general of the Notre Dame Foundation. In an interview with The Washington Examiner, he explained his intent to reconstruct Notre Dame to make it a welcoming and accessible place to people who did not receive a Catholic upbringing but want to come to and explore the faith. Regardless of the fact that Notre Dame was already one of the top tourist attractions in the world with over 12 million people visiting each year prior to the fire (not all of whom were Catholic) Rousselot explained that “foreign visitors see signs and magnificent paintings but don’t understand a thing. Images and sculptures and paintings count, but so do words. So, there are plans to project on certain words and expressions in Mandarin, French, or Spanish and English.”
Rod Dreher is a journalist for The American Conservative and one of the first people to cover this story. He interviewed an expert in French architecture about the reconstruction of the Notre Dame Cathedral for his article. The source informed Dreher that even the parts of the original cathedral that were not destroyed by the fire (and are therefore still intact) will also be torn down and rebuilt with the same modern progressive architecture that the ruins are facing as well.
I recently sat down with Father Jeff Langan, who received his undergraduate degree in French architecture, to discuss the significance and meaning of the progressive reconstruction of the Notre Dame cathedral. First, we discussed the significance of the Cathedral. Father Jeff pointed out that it is the centerpiece of French Catholicism that harkens to the original evangelization of France. Reconstructed after its first fire during the French Revolution, architect Viollet-le-Duc worked carefully to rebuild the cathedral in a way that was true to the original but had a natural growth that aligned with the (then) modern times. Father Jeff pointed out that an example of this was the insertion of the infamous gargoyles to Notre Dame. People did not want them to be added, but Viollet-le-Duc specifically went back and studied medieval architecture to be able to argue why gargoyles would be a natural progression within gothic architecture. Father Jeff explained that that was an organic growth and that reconstruction should be done in harmony to align with the original architectural style. In his opinion, if we do not do that now, the rebuilding that we do in 2024 will likely be outdated in just 10 years.
Father Jeff further pointed out that the beauty of Notre Dame is what attracts visitors, and that there will be a stark disharmony between the gothic exterior and the modern interior if these reconstruction plans continue to come to fruition. He argues that there is a way to organically grow and respect forms that are already there and that Catholicism is the religion to which the most people have converted because of inspiration related to the beautiful architecture of their places of worship.
As for the argument that Notre Dame may be confusing to people who were not raised in the Catholic faith, Father Jeff also pointed out that gothic architecture draws a sense of wonder from the viewer. It promotes people to ask questions and seek further answers. However, he believes that the lack of harmony between the gothic and the modern styles will work against the principle of drawing people in.
As a Catholic, I absolutely want everyone to come to God and realize the beauty a relationship with Jesus Christ offers when they become a Christian. However, why should Notre Dame have to change virtually everything about itself so that other people can more easily understand Catholicism? Would that not change the very thing the people are seeking to understand? In my AP history and art history classes, I have analyzed religious symbolism from paintings and media that are neither in English nor related to Christianity. I may not have been able to understand exactly what was being represented, but I understood enough to know and appreciate the beauty of the piece and the religion it represented. Why should Notre Dame be any different? I believe that the vast majority of tourists who go to Notre Dame will have some understanding of the cathedral before they walk in because of how infamous the religious landmark is to history.
By Sarah Grace Lange ‘25
Co-Assistant Editor-in-Chief and Editor of Opinions and Politics
