Update on the fire engulfing the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
As the blaze continued for several hours into the night the people of Paris gathered around the site and began to sing hymns and prayers to God on their knees. (See Video at Bottom)
The Paris fire chief say they think Notre-Dame Cathedral's landmark rectangular towers have been saved from the fire. The cathedral went up in flames on Monday, April 15, 2019 in a blaze that has caused significant damage including the collapse of the 300 foot spire. Two-thirds of Notre-Dame's roofing "has been ravaged." One firefighter was injured; however the significant collection art work and holy objects kept inside the church has been recovered.
A member of KTO Catholic Television, reported that “Fr. Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Firefighters, went with the firefighters into Notre-Dame cathedral to save the crown of thorns and the Blessed Sacrament.” Latest reports say that the main structure has been saved with 400 firefighters working to stop the blaze.
Vatican Release:
The Holy See received with shock and sorrow the news of the terrible blaze that has devastated the Cathedral of Notre Dame, symbol of Christendom in France and in the world. We express our closeness to French Catholics and the citizenry of Paris. We pray for the firefighters and all those doing what can be done to face this dramatic situation.
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#BreakingNews Historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France on Fire - Video
According to reports the relics of the Crown of Thorns of Jesus and the relic of the Cross of Christ were rescued from the fire. Investigators are treating the blaze that destroyed part of Notre-Dame as an accident for now. They have ruled out arson and possible terror-related motives for starting the blaze. (The video directly below is the last service held in the Cathedral before the fire broke)
The cathedral had been in the midst of renovations. Bronze statues were removed last week for work. The cathedral, dates back to the 12th century. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that brings millions of tourists every year.
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