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Agence France-Presse

The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris hosted its first mass on Saturday exactly two months after a devastating blaze, with priests and worshippers wearing hard hats to protect themselves against possible falling debris.
Dressed in a white robe and helmet, Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit led the service, which was attended by only about 30 people – half of them clergy.
“The fire, which ravaged the building on April 15, has provoked a wave of emotion, not only for the community of believers,” Archbishop Aupetit said in his sermon, broadcast live
“This cathedral is a place of worship, that’s its true and unique purpose.”




The mass started at 6pm in the Chapel of the Virgin on the east side of the cathedral, confirmed to be safe.
Protective nets have been strung above the nave and choir and rubble still strews the floor but the pews have remained intact.
Aupetit was joined by the rector of Notre-Dame, Patrick Chauvet, other clergy, volunteers, people working on the restoration as well a handful of lay worshippers.
The date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral’s altar, which is celebrated every year on June 16.
Craftsmen built Notre Dame, now it’s up to robots and Chinese drones to save it
The date is “highly significant, spiritually”, Chauvet said ahead of the service, adding he was happy to be able to show that “Notre-Dame is truly alive”.
French President Emmanuel Macron has set an ambitious target of five years for restoring Notre Dame, which was gutted by a fire on April 15 that felled its steeple and consumed the lattice of beams supporting the roof.
The diocese is awaiting a response from the French authorities over whether it can reopen the esplanade in front of the cathedral to the public.

If the authorities approve the plan, the idea is to celebrate evening prayers there, the diocese said. The church has also floated the idea of erecting a temporary structure in front of the cathedral to welcome worshippers while the building is being repaired.
Up to 150 workers have been working at the cathedral daily since the fire, continuing to remove debris and stabilise the structure. Two large white canopies have been put in place to ensure the edifice is protected, including from rain.
Macron’s call for an “inventive” rather than identical reconstruction of the steeple has left some architects up in arms.
Macron vows to rebuild fire-ravaged Notre Dame within five years
Meanwhile, legislation over the reconstruction has been blocked in parliament over disagreements between the upper and lower houses and is now only expected to be adopted at the end of July.
Pledges of some €850 million (US$960 million) had been made from prominent French businessmen and ordinary citizens but only around 10 per cent of that has been donated so far.
France Info public radio said just €80 million euros had been handed over, with businessmen giving the money in tranches and some private individuals renouncing their pledges due to the apparent success of the campaign.

Notre Dame has figured as a central character through the ups and downs of French history since construction began in mid-12th century.
During the French Revolution in the 18th century, it was vandalised and plundered but went on to feature as a central character in a Victor Hugo’s novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame, which is credited with helping save it.
It survived the devastation of two global conflicts in the 20th century and famously rang its bells on August 24, 1944, the day of the Liberation of Paris from German occupation at the end of the World War II.


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Priests and worshippers don helmets as Notre Dame Cathedral holds first mass since devastating blaze

Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit leads the first mass in a side chapel on Saturday, two months after a devastating fire engulfed the Notre Dame cathedral. Photo: AP

epa07649805 A view on stained glass consolidation works on the south face of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 June 2019, on the day of the celebration of the first mass inside the cathedral since a fire. The huge fire started in the late afternoon of 15 April and partialy devastated one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

epaselect epa07650576 Worshippers pray as they watch the mass displayed on a cellphone in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, 15 June 2019, during the celebration of the first mass inside a side chapel of the cathedral since a fire started in the late afternoon 15 April 2019 and partialy devastated one of the most visited monuments of the French capital. For safety reasons, the mass was celebrated on a very small scale, but was streamed live on internet. EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

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The city of Paris, its streets and landmarks, have held a special role as the artistic centre of the fashion industry since its earliest days, so to restore the cathedral is to preserve its own history. Photo: AFP

Notre Dame Cathedral fire likely to have been caused by short circuit, police official says

Workers on the northern side of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Thursday, April 18, 2019. Photo: AFP

epa07514350 Hundreds of people gather in front of the Paris city hall, France, 18 April 2019, during a tribute to the Paris firefighters who saved Notre Dame Cathedral from collapse, while construction workers rushed to secure an area above one of the church's famed rose-shaped windows and other vulnerable sections of the fire-damaged landmark. EPA-EFE/YOAN VALAT

Head of the detachment of the firefighters of Paris and expert advisor of security for the ministry of the Culture, Lieutenant colonel Jose Vaz de Matos (L), and firefighters, Chief Warrant Officer (adjudant-chef) Jerome Demay (C) and Master Corporal (caporal-chef) Myriam Chudzinski, who were the first to arrive at the Notre-Dame cathedral, pose on April 17, 2019, at the Poissy fire station in the Cardinal Lemoine street near the cathedral. - Some 400 firefighters tackled the huge blaze at the 12th century Gothic masterpiece and, oblivious to the danger they faced, saw their efforts rewarded as they saved the main structure. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP)

TOPSHOT - Worker on Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on April 17, 2019, three days after a fire that devastated the building in the centre of the French capital. French President vowed on April 16 to rebuild Notre-Dame cathedral "within five years", after a fire which caused major damage to the 850-year-old Paris landmark. BERTRAND GUAY / AFP - France paid a daylong tribute on April 18, 2019 to the Paris firefighters who saved Notre Dame Cathedral from collapse, while construction workers rushed to secure an area above one of the church's famed rose-shaped windows and other vulnerable sections of the fire-damaged landmark. (Photo by BERTRAND GUAY / AFP)

A crowd gathers in front of the Paris city hall, France, on Thursday, during a tribute to the firefighters who saved Notre Dame Cathedral from collapse. Photo: EPA-EFE

France warns scammers are preying on Notre Dame donors after tragic fire

A bouquet of flowers is seen in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. Photo: Xinhua

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Up to 150 workers have been working at the building daily since the fire, continuing to remove debris and stabilise the structure
Only 10 per cent of US$960 million pledged towards reconstruction has been received so far


Up to 150 workers have been working at the cathedral daily since the fire, continuing to remove debris and stabilise the structure.


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