Author: Lucas Delattre

Notre Dame is back in her cathedral !

Date
From Thursday 07 November 2024 at 14h00
To Friday 15 November 2024 at 20h00

Preparatory Novena for the Return of the Statue of the Virgin Mary

For several months, a beautifully crafted copy of the statue has been circulating in cathedrals across France. From November 7 to 15, 2024, it will journey through Paris.

Program

November 7

    • 2 PM – 4 PM: Maison Médicale Jeanne Garnier, 106 Av. Emile Zola, 75015 Paris
    • 6 PM – 10 PM: Notre-Dame de l’Assomption de Passy Church, 88 Rue de l’Assomption, 75016 Paris

November 8

    • 12 PM – 4 PM: Hôpital Saint-Joseph, 185 Rue Raymond Losserand, 75014 Paris
    • 6 PM – 8:30 PM: Notre-Dame du Rosaire Church, 194 Rue Raymond Losserand, 75014 Paris

November 9

    • 10 AM – 10:30 PM: Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, 35 Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, 75018 Paris

November 10

    • 9 AM – 3 PM: Sainte-Marie des Batignolles Church, 77 Place du Dr Félix Lobligeois, 75017 Paris
    • 6 PM – 8:30 PM: Notre-Dame de la Gare Church, 2 Pl. Jeanne d’Arc, 75013 Paris

November 11

    • 2:30 PM – 9:30 PM: Catholic Maternity Hospital Sainte Félicité, 7 Rue de Casablanca, 75015 Paris

November 12

    • 9:45 AM – 11:15 AM: La Maison Bakhita, 5 ter Rue Jean Cottin, 75018 Paris
    • 2 PM – 10 PM: Immaculate Conception Church, 34 Rue du Rendez-Vous, 75012 Paris

November 13

    • 8 AM – 2 PM: Hôpital Tenon, 4 Rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris
    • 3 PM – 11 PM: Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church, 130 Rue Pelleport, 75020 Paris

November 14

    • 7:30 AM – 5 PM: Notre-Dame des Champs Church, 91 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris
    • 7 PM – 9:30 PM: Saint-Germain des Prés Church, 3 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006 Paris

November 15

    • 8:30 AM – 2 PM: Basilica of Notre-Dame des Victoires, 7 Pl. des Petits Pères, 75002 Paris
    • 5:45pm: Eglise Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois, 2 Pl. du Louvre, 75001 Paris

      Vespers and procession presided over by the Archbishop, from the Eglise Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois to the forecourt of Notre-Dame Cathedral to mark the return of the real statue.

 

Full screen

With Mary, the Immaculate One,

who welcomed all graces,

we prepare throughout this year

to once again inhabit our cathedral,

home of our diocese,

the destination for many pilgrims.

With the people of Paris who,

for 860 years, have entrusted their joys and sorrows

to Her who bore the Savior,

let us prepare our hearts so that Our Lady

may always be, in our city,

the One with whom we can dwell:

“I have nothing to offer and nothing to ask.

I come simply, Mother, to look at you.

To look at you, to cry tears of joy, to know that

I am your son and that you are there.” (Paul Claudel)

Prayer to Notre-Dame de Paris

Mgr Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, December 8, 2023

Rosary meditation

Date
From Tuesday 01 October 2024 at 12h00
To Thursday 31 October 2024 at 12h30
Location
Cathedral forecourt, at the foot of the Notre Dame statue

The Rosary accompanies me every day. It is the prayer of the humble, of the saints… It is the prayer of my heart.

– Pope Francis

In the heart of the day, in the heart of Paris, let us entrust our world to Mary.

Every day in October, the month of the Rosary, from 12:00 to 12:30 pm on the forecourt of Notre-Dame, at the foot of the statue of the Virgin Mary, the rector and chaplains of the cathedral invite you to meditate on the Rosary. Let us invoke Our Lady and Our Mother: she never ceases to accompany us with her benevolent intercession with the Lord.

 

 

European Heritage Days 2024

Date
From Friday 20 September 2024 at 19h00
To Sunday 22 September 2024 at 14h00
Location
Parvis de la cathédrale

On September 20, 21, and 22, 2024, dive into the future interior design of Notre-Dame!

As part of the “construction village” organized by the Public Establishment “Rebuild Notre-Dame” during the European Heritage Days, the cathedral invites you to discover the interior design project led by the Diocese of Paris in preparation for its reopening for worship and visitors: liturgical furniture, seating, visitor pathways… Come meet the teams on-site and engage with them!

September 20, 21, and 22, 2024
Construction Village
Parvis Notre Dame – Place Jean-Paul II

 

Notre-Dame: Toward Reopening!

Less than six months before the reopening, the diocese detailed the interior renovation project of the cathedral during a press conference held on June 25th.

Progress of the Interior Renovation Project

This project, which brings together creators and companies from the Atelier de Notre-Dame, is progressing as planned. The fabrication of liturgical furniture, chairs, and the reliquary for the Holy Crown of Thorns, designed respectively by Guillaume Bardet, Ionna Vautrin, and Sylvain Dubuisson, is on schedule. Other projects overseen by the diocese (lighting, sound, renovation of the treasury, interior arrangements) are also advancing according to the timeline. Additionally, Guillaume Bardet has been tasked with designing liturgical vessels and objects that will be used upon reopening, including ciboria, a chalice, paten, monstrance, censer, basin, ewer, cruets, and a tray. Alongside the 1,500 chairs planned, benches, kneelers, and prie-dieux, designed by Ionna Vautrin, will also be manufactured. Designer Vincent Dupont-Rougier has been commissioned to create devotional candle holders and distancing devices. The diocese has selected Jean-Charles de Castelbajac to design the liturgical vestments for the reopening.

Key Milestones

Details of the reopening events will be shared in the fall of 2024. The installation of the liturgical furniture is scheduled for November, along with the return of the statue of Our Lady of Paris to the cathedral, which was spared from the fire.

Welcoming the Public

An estimated 15 million annual visitors are expected, presenting a significant challenge in accommodating both pilgrims and tourists. A digital system for booking free access time slots to the cathedral will be implemented upon reopening, although entry will still be possible without a reservation. During the first six months, until Pentecost 2025, access will be restricted to individual visitors and worshippers, with group visits allowed only after this period. New mediation tools will be developed with a focus on accessibility, including a new signage system, a mobile “visit companion” app, publications, guides, and catalogs, as well as nearly 500 volunteers to welcome visitors.

Placement of Liturgical Furniture and Seating in the Nave ©Bardet / Vautrin / Emissive

 

3D Visualizations of Liturgical Objects Designed by Guillaume Bardet ©Bardet / Emissive

 

Placement of Chairs, Kneelers, and Prie-Dieu ©Vautrin / Bardet / Emissive

 

3D Visualization of a Lectern as Part of the New Signage ©C-Album

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Joins the Atelier of Notre-Dame!

The Diocese of Paris is honored to announce the creation of a series of liturgical vestments and ornaments designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac for the reopening of the Cathedral! A total of 700 liturgical garments have been envisioned: copes, mitres, stoles, chasubles, and dalmatics will be produced by French artisan houses.

“I am pleased to see him today join the Atelier of Notre-Dame, which brings together the artisans and artists whose talent will serve the joy of the cathedral’s reopening,” declared Archbishop Ulrich of Paris.

“After the World Youth Day of 1997, it is an honor and a great emotion to once again put my experience and art at the service of the Church and to contribute to the radiance of Notre-Dame de Paris for the reopening ceremonies. The light and its radiance guided my creative gesture; I thought of Couturier’s glorious cross, the brilliance of color on the reborn blonde stone of Notre-Dame.” explained Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

The Night of the Cathedrals 2024

Date
Saturday 11 May 2024
By 18h00 at 21h00
Location
Parvis of Notre-Dame of Paris
Price
Free

While Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris remains closed to the public until the end of the year, the CASA Association, whose guides have been leading tours of the cathedral for 50 years, is offering tours around the cathedral during “The Night of the Cathedrals” on May 11, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. These tours, available in French and English, will explore the monument’s historical, artistic, and spiritual significance.

Meet on the Cathedral’s Parvis, with tours departing every half hour from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (6:00 / 6:30 / 7:00, etc.) at the foot of the Notre Dame de Paris statue.

Visitor reception will be ongoing throughout the evening on the steps located on the Cathedral’s Parvis.

 

Meditation of the Rosary

In the heart of the day, in the heart of Paris, let us entrust our world to Mary.

Every day in May, from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM on the parvis of Notre-Dame, at the foot of the statue of the Virgin Mary, the rector and the chaplains of the cathedral invite you to meditate on the rosary.

Let us invoke Our Lady and Our Mother: she continually accompanies us with her benevolent intercession before the Lord.

 

Appointment of Four Organists at Notre-Dame of Paris

Press Release

Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector-archpriest of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, in agreement with Monsignor Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, announces the appointment of four titular organists, who will play in rotation:

  • Olivier Latry, titular organist of the grand organ at the Cathedral,
  • Vincent Dubois, titular organist of the grand organ at the Cathedral,
  • Thierry Escaich, member of the Institut de France, titular organist of the grand organ at the Cathedral,
  • Thibault Fajoles, assistant titular organist of the grand organ and the choir organ at the Cathedral.

Joining the two organists who were in post at the time of the fire, Olivier Latry and Vincent Dubois, are the organist, composer, and improviser Thierry Escaich, one of the major figures in contemporary French music, and Thibault Fajoles, representing the very young generation of French organists (21 years old), chosen for his promising talent and proven ability to perfectly serve both the grand organ and the choir organ, where he will notably accompany the Cathedral Choir (Sacred Music at Notre-Dame de Paris).

It is with great joy that I announce the appointment of a team of very talented organists, strengthened and rejuvenated, for the grand organ of Notre-Dame. These appointments are a step towards the reawakening of the instrument in early December, which will be a symbolic moment of the cathedral’s reopening for the faithful, visitors, and music lovers worldwide. I hope that the talent of this renewed team will accompany and elevate the prayers of the faithful, drawing them into the act of thanksgiving.

Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau-Dumas,
rector-archpriest of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris

Yves Castagnet, who has been in post since 1988, remains the titular organist of the choir organ at the Cathedral. Former organists of the Cathedral, Jean-Pierre Leguay and Philippe Lefebvre, are emeritus organists.

The Grand Organ

Overlooking the nave at a height of 16 meters, standing 12 meters tall, with nearly 8,000 pipes, five keyboards, a pedalboard, and 109 stops, the instrument is one of the largest in France and certainly one of the most famous in the world. Fortunately spared by the fire, the grand organ was entirely dismantled in August 2020, cleaned, and then reassembled by the end of 2023. It is currently being tuned and harmonized during the months leading up to the reopening, when the indispensable silence of the building permits, that is, during the night.

Since the cathedral has been equipped with an organ, around fifty organists have succeeded one another at the tribune. Among the most famous are Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772), Claude Balbastre (1724-1799), who played the organ during the Revolution, Louis Vierne (1900-1937), and Pierre Cochereau (1955-1984), who helped make the instrument famous worldwide. Since then, the titular organists have been responsible, beyond liturgical accompaniment, for the global reputation of the instrument. In 1985, the serving custodian of Notre-Dame Cathedral resumed the tradition of the “quarter service,” inherited from the 18th century. This will be the case again when the Cathedral reopens in December.

The Song of the Organ!

On the eve of the reopening, during the Vigil of Prayers organized on December 7, 2024, the Archbishop of Paris will reawaken the instrument after five years of silence. This reawakening will take the form of a long invocation to the organ, which will respond by singing and dialoguing with Monsignor Laurent Ulrich, once again magnifying the liturgy and the 2,500 services that take place annually in the Cathedral.

Starting on December 15, 2024, there will be an audition given by one of the Cathedral’s titular organists every Sunday at 5 PM. A concert season, organized by Sacred Music at Notre-Dame de Paris, will feature the organ prominently, with around fifteen concerts dedicated to it, not to mention the many other concerts during which it will be heard. The program for this season will be announced in the summer.

For our song that rises to you, Lord, to be more worthy of your Glory, we ask the organ to awaken.

Awaken, organ! Intone the praise of God…

Organ, sacred instrument, lead the prayer of the faithful into the act of thanksgiving!

Find the biographies of the organists at the following link.

Notre-Dame of Paris Choir School: 2024-2025 Recruitment Campaign

The recruitment campaign for the Notre-Dame de Paris Choir School for the 2024-2025 school year is now open!

As a training center for young singers, the Notre-Dame de Paris Choir School provides comprehensive education in solo and choral singing, from beginner to professional training.

The deadlines and registration forms for the four choir groups are available on the Choir School’s website.

Don’t hesitate to sign up now!

 

Recrutement 2024-2025

Blessing and Installation of the Rooster on the Spire

On Saturday, December 16, 2023, Mgr Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, blessed the rooster of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. The archbishop placed within it the relics of Saint Denys, Saint Geneviève, a fragment of Christ’s crown of thorns, the names of those who contributed to the reconstruction, and an official record of the ceremony. The rooster was then lifted into the Paris sky and placed atop the spire.

The blessing took place in the presence of Mgr Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, Rector-Archpriest of the Cathedral, Mr. Philippe Jost, President of the Public Institution for Rebuilding Notre-Dame de Paris, and Mr. Philippe Villeneuve, Chief Architect of Historic Monuments.