It started as a beautiful spring morning in mid-April and suddenly the sky disappeared. Only a dense mist and a blazing fireball filled the heavens. The flames rose higher devouring their home, their icon, their church — and a stunned nation mourned. The Parisian crowd gathered in front of their beloved cathedral watching, hoping and praying that the 500 firemen would stop the raging, hungry flames ravishing the treasures of their beloved monument. They kept gazing in silence while their lips trembled and their tears flowed. Mesmerised by the intense glow, the crowds grew larger, even as the sun was setting. They kept gazing at the devastating sight as if it were the end of the world. It was to them. The cathedral was the epi-centre of their lives. They were not alone. There was hardly anyone in this world who did not wipe a tear as they watched the fire rip apart their holy home. Catholic or not, Notre Dame de Paris was beloved by all. It was not just a place of worship where Catholics often came to mass on Sundays. It was a symbol of Paris, a magnificent architectural design that housed priceless historic treasures. For millions of tourists from all over the world Le Cathedrale de Notre Dame de Paris was the first on their list of must-see. It was indeed the most visited place in Europe. Two-hundred years of construction, starting in 1163 and completed in 1345. And there it stood for 800 years, stately, unique breathtaking — a proud and striking symbol of the power of its city. Notre Dame had witnessed numerous hard times throughout its tragic history. A cathedral takes its name from the Latin ecclesia cathedrales, or a bishop's throne. Whether Catholic, Anglican or Eastern Orthodox a cathedral is a church housing the seat of a bishop. It is usually larger than a church but there are small cathedrals, such as the famous Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford, or the Sacred Heart Cathedral at Raleigh, North Carolina, US. There were no churches in early Christianity. Before it was recognised by the Romans, Christianity was practised in secret and Christians worshipped in homes. “Church” is an assembly rather than a building. The first church ever built is supposed to be in Rihab, Jordan. According to experts, Christians fled from Jerusalem during the persecution. Located in a cave underneath the Saint Georgeous is the secret underground church which allowed them to practice their religious rituals. It sheltered 70 disciples who did not leave the cave until the Christian religion was embraced by the Romans. Built in 230 AD, Saint Georgeous is believed to be the oldest “proper” church in the world. Each architectural period affected the shape of the church. Built in an exquisite Gothic Style, Notre Dame was a religious site since ancient times. In its place was a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. Later on, two Christian Churches were built, but by the 12th century they were in dire straits. The churches were demolished and Pope Alexander ordered the stones of the churches to lay the foundation of the Cathedral in 1163. Paris had become a political and economic kingdom. The cathedral meant to show the power of the city and its prominence. After 200 years of toil and trouble the cathedral was completed in 1345 and for the next eight centuries it stood as a symbol of power and faith, during which time it witnessed all the tragic and glorious record of history. During the French Wars of Religion in the 16th century it was almost destroyed and the anti-Catholic Huguenots crushed several monuments. It was restored only to face more hard times after the French Revolution. In 1792 the de-Christianisation movement started, the Catholic Church was banned and the cathedral was transformed into a Temple of Reason. Napoleon agreed to return to the Catholic Church in 1801 and was crowned there in 1804. There was more trouble ahead for Notre Dame. Old and tired, the cathedral began to crumble with no one to restore it. In stepped Victor Hugo. He cared greatly for this Gothic masterpiece and in writing his novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame in 1831, the cathedral was definitely one of the protagonists. So successful was the novel it aroused the French to restore their precious cathedral, which was to the delight of Parisians when completed in 1844, but the war drums could already be heard. Once again the cathedral was in danger, but while it escaped the bombs of WWI, WWII was already at the gates. The French were wise enough to remove the stained-glass windows thus saving them from the German bombs. When the city celebrated the Allies' victory in 1944, Notre Dame was unscathed. The wrinkles of time required another face-lift for the cathedral by the 1990s, and millions enjoyed its magnificence throughout the years until that fated day of 15 April 2019. It has been through so much, but is it ready to give up? Never. One could almost see the fragile image of Joan of Arc crying out once again to save France, save Paris, save the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. It has captured our hearts as it did the hearts of the weeping crowd. One mourner dared to whisper “Macron promised it would rise again”. “But how”, cried another voice. “How, how?” The voices grew louder. 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“Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.” Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)
