The bells of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral were heard in the capital this Friday, November 8, a powerful and symbolic sound to mark the renewal of the religious building, one month before its reopening to the public. Three of them, including the Olympic Games bell rung at each victory by the Olympic and Paralympic champions at the Stade de France, were inaugurated and installed on Thursday November 7.
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The eight bells of the north belfry Notre-Dame of Paris sounded shortly before 10:30 a.m. (Paris time) this Friday, November 8, more than five years after the terrible fire that ravaged the cathedral. A symbolic moment, a sound recognizable by all, and a strong emotion for Philippe Jost, at the head of the public establishment and responsible for its restoration of the cathedral. “ All the bells together, it’s the first time », since the fire of April 2019, he recalled.
A first conclusive attempt also for Alexandre Gougeon, from the Gougeon company, project manager for the refitting of the bells for the ATC group, who praised “ a great outcome “. Individual tests bell by bell had been carried out yesterday, and further adjustments will be made in the coming days: “ Everything is not perfect yet. We’re going to fix this perfectly “.
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The flames had reached, on April 15, 2019part of the north belfry which had to be restored. To do this, the eight bells housed in this tower were carefully removed, cleaned of lead dust and restored before returning to their original setting. These eight bells made their return last September during a small ceremony and were blessed on the occasion. All bear the name of personalities who have marked the life of the diocese and the Church, a tradition perpetrated since the 12th century.
Thursday, November 7, three other bells were also welcomed on the square in front of Notre Dame at the end of the morning by Monseigneur Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the rector of Notre-Dame Cathedral and by Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee Indeed, the Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games offered the bell present at the Stade de France this summer to the cathedral, a strong symbol and a solemn moment that Laurence Théault collected for RFI.
Monsignor Ribadeau Dumas, the rector of Notre-Dame Cathedral, proceeds to bless the bells…
Report on the square in front of Notre-Dame de Paris
Twenty-one bronze bells in total punctuate the lives of the faithful of Notre-Dame, but also give the time to Parisians according to the number of strokes rung. The largest of them is located in the south tower and is called Emmanuel. This is the Notre-Dame staff, cast in 1683.
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