Lego has unveiled a massive new model of Barcelona&#8217;s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica, a release timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the death of its chief architect, Antoni Gaudí. 
The set contains 12,060 pieces, making it the largest Lego set ever released, according to the company.
“The new set captures the evolving story of Barcelona’s most iconic landmark, with the building steps mirroring the basilica’s actual construction sequence,” Lego <a href="https://www.lego.com/en-us/aboutus/news/2026/june/lego-architecture-sagrada-fam-lia-set-unveiled">said</a> in the statement. 
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Lego Architecture Sagrada Familia revealed!
12060 pieces / $799.99 / £649.99 / 1st a November 2026<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Lego?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lego</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Legonews?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Legonews</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/Legoleaks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Legoleaks</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/architecture?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#architecture</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SagradaFam%C3%ADlia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SagradaFamília</a> <a href="https://t.co/t3HrbmSP0s">pic.twitter.com/t3HrbmSP0s</a>
— Brick Built Blogs (@BlogsBrick) <a href="https://x.com/BlogsBrick/status/2062520774313840830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
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“The build begins with the foundational Apse and Crypt, moves through Gaudí’s original Nativity façade and the dramatic Passion façade, before rising into the grand naves, Western Sacristy and six iconic towers. The final stage brings the model together with the Eastern Sacristy and the Glory façade.”
The release comes as the real Sagrada Familia approaches a major milestone of its own.
Construction on the basilica began more than 140 years ago and has continued ever since. According to <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/06/04/gaudis-sagrada-familia-finally-shakes-off-its-incompletable-tag-as-pope-prepares-to-inaugurate-tallest-and-final-tower">The Art Newspape</a>r, Pope Leo XIV is expected to bless the newly completed Tower of Jesus on June 10, the centennial of Gaudí&#8217;s death.
&#8220;The inauguration marks the symbolic completion of the church, though work is expected to continue for another decade,” according to the outlet.
The Sagrada Familia is the latest religious landmark to receive the Lego treatment. In 2024, the company released a model of Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the world&#8217;s most renowned Catholic landmarks, during the reconstruction of the famous Paris church. The move signaled a willingness to create sets based on prominent religious sites.
The new set was designed by Rok Žgalin Kobe, who has also worked on Lego versions of the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Trevi Fountain, and other architectural icons. 

The Sagrada Familia Lego set is available for preorder for $799.99 and is scheduled for release on November 1.
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Barcelona, Sagrada Familia

A Catholic Work Of Architecture Is Set To Become Largest Lego Set Ever

Catholic

Catholic Church

Catholicism

Catholics

Lego

Notre Dame

Notre Dame Cathedral

Spain

Toys

The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris has been granted a rare special dispensation to host a wedding for a carpenter who helped rebuild it after the devastating 2019 fire.
Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich granted special permission for the ceremony to thank Martin Lorentz for devoting his time and talent to helping rebuild the cathedral, per <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/blog/notre-dame-dream-wedding">The National Catholic Register</a>.
Notre-Dame is not a parish church, so weddings aren’t usually allowed and require special dispensation from the archbishop. The last known wedding was in 1995, the outlet noted. Dispensations for nuptial ceremonies have only been granted a few times in the cathedral’s 860-year history.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Notre-Dame hosts rare wedding for carpenter who helped rebuild it • FRANCE 24 English" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH7DRpf27HY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Lorentz married Jade on October 25 in the renowned cathedral he helped restore, as 500 guests looked on, including other carpenters who worked on the project.  
“I just want to say that this is the best day of my life. I don’t think I can say anything else,” the groom told reporters after the ceremony, per a translated news <a href="https://www.franceinfo.fr/culture/patrimoine/incendie-de-notre-dame-de-paris/reouverture/notre-dame-de-paris-le-mariage-d-exception-d-un-charpentier-et-sa-compagne-celebre-dans-la-cathedrale_7575280.html">article</a> published on France Info. “I want to share my love, our love, with the whole world, with everyone who needs it.”
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“It’s incredible to see this happen,” a fellow carpenter who attended the event told the outlet. “It was a wonderful moment to end like that, to get married in our cathedral, which is a bit like home to us.”
Notre-Dame reopened on December 8, 2024, with Archbishop Ulrich presiding. The ceremony with French President Emmanuel Macron featured 1,500 guests, including major world leaders like then-President-elect Donald Trump, then-First Lady Jill Biden, Prince William, Elon Musk, and others. 
The massive restoration process reportedly cost more than $700 million.
French authorities have said they suspect the fire started due to a lit cigarette or a faulty electrical connection, but The New York Times noted in 2024 that the investigation was ongoing and the cause “may never be determined.”

Notre-Dame Cathedral

From Restoration To Celebration: Notre-Dame Cathedral Honors Carpenter With First Wedding In Decades

Notre-Dame Cathedral Hosts First Wedding In 30 Years For Carpenter Who Helped Rebuild It

Church

France

Paris

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World

Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jd-vance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Vance</a> and his family took time out from his first official overseas trip to take in the sights at the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.
Vance had traveled to Paris for an international summit on Artificial Intelligence (AI), where he encouraged world leaders to look at AI development as more of an opportunity than a risk: &#8220;The AI future is not going to be won by hand-wringing about safety.&#8221;
On Wednesday, he toured the refurbished Cathedral with his family. Video circulated of the vice president carrying his three-year-old daughter Mirabel, as five-year-old Vivek walked by his side. Seven-year-old Ewan followed with second lady Usha Vance a short distance behind.
WATCH:
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WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> Vance and the Second Family visit Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/preeGGZl6v">pic.twitter.com/preeGGZl6v</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1889751968228299247?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But as the video made the rounds, it was clear that Vivek — who peppered his father with questions and comments throughout — had stolen the show.
&#8220;&#8216;Daaaaad, can we go now? I want chicken nuggets.&#8217; Seriously, though, it&#8217;s great that JD and Usha are trying to give the kids as normal a family life as possible for the next 4 (8? 12?) years,&#8221; Mark Krikorian posted.
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&quot;Daaaaad, can we go now? I want chicken nuggets.&quot;
Seriously, though, it&#39;s great that JD and Usha are trying to give the kids as normal a family life as possible for the next 4 (8? 12?) years.
&mdash; Mark Krikorian (@MarkSKrikorian) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkSKrikorian/status/1889761949233066483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The 5 year old who will absolutely not stop asking questions in church is the realest,&#8221; Emily Zanotti added.
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The 5 year old who will absolutely not stop asking questions in church is the realest <a href="https://t.co/RY4sGMF6n2">https://t.co/RY4sGMF6n2</a>
— Emily Zanotti 🦝 (@emzanotti) <a href="https://twitter.com/emzanotti/status/1889758615814234382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I want a reality show about life as VP raising 3 little kids that don&#8217;t care that you&#8217;re the VP, you&#8217;re just dad and we follow them around on all the cool places they go and the kids just complain and ask questions nonstop,&#8221; another posted.
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I want a reality show about life as VP raising 3 little kids that don&#39;t care that you&#39;re the VP, you&#39;re just dad and we follow them around on all the cool places they go and the kids just complain and ask questions nonstop <a href="https://t.co/7GHjgwd7I4">https://t.co/7GHjgwd7I4</a>
&mdash; Meghan Maureen (@Keggs719) <a href="https://twitter.com/Keggs719/status/1889765693756719359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Vance’s daughter won’t let go of him, his youngest son is talking to him like they’re just hanging at home in the living room and the oldest is chatting it up with Usha. It’s nice to see an average American family dynamic in leadership,&#8221; Brianna Lyman posted.
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Vance’s daughter won’t let go of him, his youngest son is talking to him like they’re just hanging at home in the living room and the oldest is chatting it up with Usha. 
It’s nice to see an average American family dynamic in leadership <a href="https://t.co/LtoaeesYFb">https://t.co/LtoaeesYFb</a>
&mdash; Brianna Lyman (@briannalyman2) <a href="https://twitter.com/briannalyman2/status/1889766488183021674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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FRANCE-US-DIPLOMACY

JD Vance Tours Notre Dame In Paris With His Family, 5-Year-Old Vivek Steals The Show

Global Politics

JD Vance

Politics

Usha Vance

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> met with key leaders in Europe over the weekend as President Joe Biden stayed away because of a “scheduling conflict” with the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
Trump traveled to Paris for Notre Dame’s official reopening ceremony after the medieval cathedral was severely damaged in a fire in 2019. The celebration marked Trump’s return to the world stage since winning his reelection.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Trump to the Élysée Palace on Saturday, where the French leader hosted a meeting between Macron, Trump, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump addressed reporters in Paris, touting his relationship with the French president during Trump’s first term in office.
“We had a lot of really great success working together on defense and offense, too,” Trump said, according to the <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign-policy/3253391/trump-overshadows-biden-final-month-with-france-trip/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Examiner</a>. “It certainly seems like the world is going a little bit crazy right now, and we’ll be talking about that.”
Macron promoted the trilateral meeting with Trump and Zelensky on social media.
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“United States, Ukraine, and France. Together on this historic day. Gathered for Notre-Dame. Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security,” Macron said in a post on X with a photo of the three leaders.
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United States, Ukraine, and France. Together on this historic day. Gathered for Notre-Dame. Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security. <a href="https://t.co/hEYGEklihT">pic.twitter.com/hEYGEklihT</a>
&mdash; Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1865455792683434384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Zelensky described the meeting as “good and productive” in a post on X. Ukraine’s war against Russia was the most pressing matter of the meeting.
“We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace,” Zelensky posted. “We agreed to continue working together and keep in contact. Peace through strength is possible.”
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I had a good and productive trilateral meeting with President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmmanuelMacron</a> at the Élysée Palace.
President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him. I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel for organizing this important meeting.
We all want… <a href="https://t.co/eKMtuhp2ZI">pic.twitter.com/eKMtuhp2ZI</a>
&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1865451236482310227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The reopening ceremony for the cathedral attracted dozens of world leaders, according to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/39064f4e-35ab-4d72-8dcd-be3b4d812b09" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Financial Times</a>. Video from the event showed Trump shaking hands with a number of leaders and heads of state at the event.
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President Trump is welcomed by the world leaders and heads of state in attendance at Notre Dame Cathedral. <a href="https://t.co/2KB4u62YTY">pic.twitter.com/2KB4u62YTY</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1865459411335987204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Biden was invited to attend as well, but missed the trip because of a “scheduling conflict,” according to the White House. First lady Jill Biden attended the event, but did not take part in any high-level meetings between the various world leaders.

Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump

Trump Returns To World Stage In Paris Trip, Overshadows Biden’s Final Weeks In White House

Donald Trump

Emmanuel Macron

Volodymyr Zelensky

A host of ceremonies will take place this weekend as part of the official reopening of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/france">France</a>’s legendary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/notre-dame-cathedral">Notre Dame Cathedral</a>, which was badly damaged in a 2019 fire.
It will begin on Saturday, December 7, with the Archbishop Laurent Ulrich knocking on the door of the Paris cathedral with his crosier [a Bishop staff] to return to life the building to worship where he will be joined by more than 1,500 guests, <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/culture/article/2024/12/06/reopening-of-notre-dame-a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-the-ceremony_6735412_30.html">LeMonde</a> reported.
It will be followed by a choir singing Psalm 23, 7-10. Ulrich will then re-awaken the cathedral’s thunderous organ with its nearly 8,000 pipes, that were covered at one point in the blaze, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-paris-notre-dame-trump-macron-religion-fire-e76aee3fdb9d391943e7955424d330cc">the Associated Press</a> reported. This will occur with a series of incantations as the Archbishop states the following, “Awaken, organ, sacred instrument: Sing the praise of God.”
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Notre Dame’s reopening will begin with an archbishop’s knock on the doors. Here’s what comes next <a href="https://t.co/SwWcRerDQp">https://t.co/SwWcRerDQp</a>
— The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1864973149185417301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
Four organists will operate the organ with its five keyboards of 56 notes, foot pedals for 30 notes, and 115 stops, the outlet noted.
Exactly what the organists will respond with is unknown, with one organist, Olivier Latry, telling the AP, “Since it’s improvisation, you really need to feel the moment.”
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“When I am there, I will know what I am going to do,” he added. “Before that, I simply have a few ideas but the ideas are not fully formed — because they will change depending on the atmosphere, the lighting, the people who’ll be down below, their reaction.”
And on Sunday, the first Catholic Mass to be held in the cathedral since the fire engulfed the building in April 2019 will take place with special rites to consecrate the main altar, the outlet noted. It follows the massive <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/notre-dame-cathedral-restoration-after-fire-finishes-macron-tour/">restoration process</a> that reportedly cost more than $700 million on the roughly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/notre-dame-cathedral-restoration/index.html">860-year-old</a> cathedral over the last few years.
President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> announced on Monday that he will travel to France to attend the re-opening ceremonies.
“It is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago,” Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113586046394556777">post to Truth Social</a>.
“President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so,” he added. “It will be a very special day for all!”
French authorities <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/devastating-notre-dame-fire-was-probably-started-emily-zanotti">have said</a> they suspected the fire started due to a lit cigarette or a faulty electrical connection, but The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-reopening.html">noted</a> last month that an investigation continues and the cause “may never be determined.”
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-visit-paris-for-notre-dame-re-opening" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump To Visit Paris For Notre Dame Re-Opening</a>

Notre Dame Cathedral To Reopen With Host Of Ceremonies Following Catastrophic 2019 Fire

President-elect <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> announced on Monday that he will travel to Paris this coming weekend to attend the re-opening of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/france" target="_blank" rel="noopener">France</a>’s legendary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/notre-dame-cathedral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Notre Dame Cathedral</a>, which was badly damaged in a 2019 fire.
The roughly <a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/notre-dame-cathedral-restoration/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">860-year-old</a> cathedral, which underwent a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/notre-dame-cathedral-restoration-after-fire-finishes-macron-tour/">restoration process</a> that reportedly cost more than $700 million, is expected to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-reopening.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hold a big ceremony</a> on Saturday, December 7.
&#8220;It is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago,&#8221; Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113586046394556777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post to Truth Social</a>.
He added: &#8220;President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!&#8221;
French authorities <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/devastating-notre-dame-fire-was-probably-started-emily-zanotti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have said</a> they suspected the fire started due to a lit cigarette or a faulty electrical connection, but The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/world/europe/notre-dame-cathedral-reopening.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> last month that an investigation continues and the cause &#8220;may never be determined.&#8221;
Sources told CNN that Trump’s team had been in talks &#8220;for days&#8221; with French President Emmanuel Macron’s office about the visit, which is expected to be Trump&#8217;s first overseas trip since the 2024 election, <a href="https://x.com/alaynatreene/status/1863742671971336638" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a> reporter Alayna Treene.
Since winning a second term in the White House a couple of weeks ago, the president-elect has issued statements about imposing tariffs on a variety of foreign countries if they did not comply with his demands.
Last week, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-unveils-tariff-ultimatums-against-canada-mexico-and-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> to impose tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico as well as China that will remain in place until they stem the flow of drugs and illegal immigration coming into the United States.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-canadas-trudeau-makes-commitment-to-u-s-during-mar-a-lago-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">then met</a> with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, over the weekend after which the president-elect said their discussion was &#8220;very productive.&#8221;
And on Saturday, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-threatens-brics-nations-with-massive-tariffs-if-they-move-away-from-u-s-dollar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> BRICS countries — which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and others — that they would face a 100% tariff if they abandoned the U.S. dollar.
&#8220;They can go find another ‘sucker!'&#8221; Trump said on Truth Social. &#8220;There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America.&#8221;

Trump To Visit Paris For Notre Dame Re-Opening

U.S.

When more than 340,000 people banded together to donate nearly a billion dollars to restore one of the world’s most magnificent Gothic cathedrals, chances are, they weren’t imagining their money going to a chapel with an &#8220;environmental emphasis.&#8221; Or modern sound and lighting effects intended to make the space more &#8220;accessible” and &#8220;comfortable&#8221; for non-Christian visitors.
But that is exactly what Father Gilles Drouin, appointed to oversee Notre Dame’s restoration by <a href="https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/14761/pope-accepts-resignation-of-paris-archbishop-">scandal-plagued</a> Archbishop Michel Aupetit, has planned for the 850-year old structure.
When the iconic church accidentally caught fire in April 2019, the transfixed world seemed to be mourning something bigger than the destruction of an historic artifact. The sense of loss was so acute, it suggested a collective, unspoken awareness that we were watching one of the last citadels of Western civilization burn. Now that the plans for Notre Dame’s renovation have been revealed, it seems we may have been right.
Drouin first unveiled his plans for the new interior during an online conference in May. The video soon made its way to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB_Dm9pN4FQ">YouTube</a> where it sat, unnoticed, until the British newspaper <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/26/notre-dame-risks-becoming-woke-disneyland-controversial-renovation/">The Daily Telegraph</a> published a report on the presentation last week. What they saw prompted them to describe it as a “woke theme park.”
“Paris’ fire-ravaged Notre-Dame cathedral risks resembling a ‘politically correct Disneyland’ under controversial plans for its renovation,” the report began. The story then went into horrific detail:
<blockquote>Under the proposed changes, confessional boxes, altars and classical sculptures will be replaced with modern art murals, and new sound and light effects to create “emotional spaces”.
There will be themed chapels on a “discovery trail”, with an emphasis on Africa and Asia, while quotes from the Bible will be projected onto chapel walls in various languages, including Mandarin.
The final chapel on the trail will have a strong environmental emphasis.</blockquote>
World-renowned French architect Maurice Culot told the Telegraph, “It’s as if Disney were entering Notre-Dame.” He added, “What they are proposing to do to Notre-Dame would never be done to Westminster Abbey or Saint Peter’s in Rome. It’s a kind of theme park and very childish and trivial given the grandeur of the place.”
Even some of those close to the renovation aren’t happy about the changes. One unnamed source told the Telegraph the Catholic Church is risking turning the global beacon of Christianity into an &#8220;experimental showroom&#8221; that would “mutilate” it.
As Culot pointedly asked <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2021/12/01/interior-redesign-notre-dame-cathedral">The Art Newspaper</a> in a separate interview, “How could a priest choose, on his own, the interior decoration of a cathedral that belongs to the universal heritage of humanity and is being rebuilt with donations coming from all over the world?”
And yet, even Culot is missing the depth of the travesty at work here. More than simply undermining its historic significance, the plans for Notre Dame’s interior undermine its religious significance.
In 1844 architect and medieval-specialist Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc undertook the job of painstakingly replacing the crumbling original 13th century spire and rehabbing the cathedral from the brutal treatment it received from secularist mobs during the French Revolution. During their time in power, they claimed Our Lady of Paris for their “Cult of Reason,” tearing down statues and melting down artifacts (sound familiar?) Nearly all of Viollet-le-Duc’s professional life was dedicated to restoring Notre Dame’s uniquely Christian beauty.
Edifices like the great cathedrals of the Western world were designed to transcend man’s internal, oppressive awareness of himself and cause him to look heavenward — to feel, paradoxically, both his own smallness and gratitude that a God so great as to inspire such worship seeks communion with him.
These wretched 21st century plans for the cathedral accomplish the opposite. They center man — his comfort, his emotion, his temporal preoccupations — at the center of the experience. It is a form of self-idolatry.
Do the great cathedrals not immediately open their mysteries to every tourist? That’s as it should be — all the better to inspire them to seek the peace and joy visitors have, for centuries, found in such places.
Notre Dame is an edifice that has survived not only the ravages of time and fire but of secularism and revolution, and it has already overcome one close brush with philistinism since the 2019 inferno.
In the wake of the destruction, French President Emmanuel Macron floated the idea that, since the spire and roof had burned anyway, why not take the opportunity to try something different? Calling for &#8220;an inventive reconstruction,” he suggested perhaps the 315-foot spire should be traded for a “contemporary architectural gesture.”
His prime minister Edouard Philippe recommended an international architecture competition and put out a call for proposals. In response, modern firms unleashed a torrent of gaudy and appalling designs, from a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwm6-kHFHlD/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">space-age disc-and-arch staircase</a> to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwmswLKhZyt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">monstrous carbon-fiber flames</a> permanently reminding everyone of the tragic sight of the structure on fire.
The French public rightly <a href="https://www.lefigaro.fr/culture/restauration-de-notre-dame-les-francais-opposes-a-une-loi-d-exception-20190509">recoiled</a> in horror. Facing overwhelmingly negative polls, Macron slunk away from the idea toute suite, assuring his citizens mere weeks later that he had “become convinced” that the Gothic masterpiece should be restored in such a way that was “as true as possible” to its “complete, coherent and last known state.”
Ironically, a vestige of the French Revolution that put historic churches under state ownership may be Notre Dame’s saving grace from clergy more interested in indulging political fashions than in honoring the Lord of Hosts.
On December 9, Father Douin and his team must present their proposal to France’s National Heritage and Architecture Commission for approval. What the nation’s leaders will not do for the sake of religion, they may do for the sake of national pride and popularity. The people who gave from their hearts to save the great cathedral and the French people who demanded their leaders respect the past must raise their voices again.
Barbarians have been at Notre Dame’s gate before. It’s our turn to force them back.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Notre-Dame_2

France Must Reject Woke Plans For Notre Dame’s Restoration

Readers Pass

French media reports that work will resume on Notre Dame Cathedral next week as the country races to complete renovations on the centuries-old church before the 2024 Summer Olympics, scheduled to be held in Paris.
The cathedral nearly burned to the ground last year, just days before Easter, in a shocking fire ignited, authorities now believe, by an electrical short from equipment left by a worker involved in a separate restoration project, shoring up the cathedral&#8217;s sagging roof.
Before the fire was even extinguished, French president Emmanuel Macron pledged to rebuild the Parisian landmark, and gave the country a five-year timeline for completion &#8212; a deadline that bristled historians who assured Macron that the cathedral&#8217;s roof, spire, and ceiling could not be fully repaired in such a short time.
Then, in March, France, like other European countries, locked down to slow and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, temporarily halting work on the cathedral.
Now, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/notre-dame-cathedral-cleanup-site-being-re-arranged-to-protect-staff-from-coronavirus">Fox News says</a>, construction workers are being asked to report to work at the cathedral next Monday in order to resume cleanup efforts, even though the rest of the country remains under a shelter-in-place order.
&#8220;Staff started re-arranging the site to make it virus-safe, such as moving showers and coat rooms to allow more distance between workers and installing a place to eat because restaurants in France are currently closed, according to Notre Dame rector Monsignor Patrick Chauvet,&#8221; per Fox.
“It’s a difficult job. It requires the climbers to be calm,” Chauvet said. “We can&#8217;t have COVID there to cause them stress.&#8221;
Workers selected to participate in the project will also be given separate housing quarters in the event they need to quarantine and so that they can avoid the Paris Metro which, like many subway systems, is considered a prime spreader of the virus: &#8220;Chauvet says most workers will stay in nearby vacant hotels so they won’t have to take public transportation.&#8221;
Macron added that he is desperate to see work get back on track. “We will do everything to keep this deadline,” he told reporters when work first halted over coronavirus concerns. The cathedral, he added, is “symbol of our resilience, our capacity to overcome challenges and stand aright.”
The first order of business, officials say, will be to remove the 250 tons of scaffolding that has been shoring up the building since last year. At that point, workers and scientists, hired by France’s Ministry of Culture, will review each individual stone and piece of mortar, glass, and metal, for signs of stress. If any item shows signs of wear or weakness, it will have to be carefully replaced and the cathedral &#8220;stitched&#8221; back together, <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/scientists-are-leading-notre-dame-s-restoration-and-probing-mysteries-laid-bare-its">according to Science Magazine</a>.
The stones will each be judged on color. &#8220;At 300°C to 400°C, she says, iron crystals that help knit the limestone together begin to break down, turning the surface red. At 600°C, the color changes again as the crystals are transformed into a black iron oxide. By 800°C, the limestone loses all its iron oxides and becomes powdery lime.&#8221;
“It’s an entire progressive process,” one of the leading preservationists told Science Magazine. “Any colored stones or parts should not be reused.”
Crews are also anxious to clear the smoke- and water-stained debris from the church&#8217;s vaults so work can begin on restoring the cathedral&#8217;s ceiling and spire, and to test the surrounding areas for lead, which may have leaked out while firefighters battled the blaze. France hopes that the lead hasn&#8217;t permanently polluted the Seine River which runs right by the cathedral.
Scientists and historians are also using the restoration as a massive research project, in the hopes that evidence of Notre Dame&#8217;s many restorations and rebuilds, uncovered by the fire, can yield clues into the city&#8217;s history.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/subscribe">subscriber</a>.

Work To Resume On Notre Dame Cathedral, Even Amid Coronavirus Lockdown

Tons of rickety scaffolding is threatening to damage the Cathedral of Notre Dame even further after work crews halted restoration on the historic cathedral over the coronavirus.
Notre Dame suffered extensive damage in April 2019 after a fire broke out in the cathedral’s roof, which was supported by hundreds of centuries-old, wooden beams. The fire melted hundreds of tons of lead from the roof on top of the church’s vaulted ceiling, destroyed Notre Dame’s iconic central spire, and seared and distorted parts of a 250-ton network of scaffolding erected for an earlier restoration project.
France locked down to slow the spread of the coronavirus on March 17, stopping work crews who had planned to remove the unstable scaffolding from the church before it could cause further damage, according to The <a href="https://apnews.com/649ccfad63de28c7ef38bc3ffe24a5d3">Associated Press</a>.
&#8220;As long as we have this scaffolding around, there’s still sort of a 50% chance that more damage can be brought to the cathedral,&#8221; Notre Dame chaplain Brice de Malherbe told reporters after streaming a Good Friday service from inside the damaged cathedral.
At the time of the fire, about half of the cathedral’s roof was covered in scaffolds as crew worked on restoring the church’s back end, roof, and spire. Investigators <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/devastating-notre-dame-fire-was-probably-started-emily-zanotti">suspect</a> that a lit cigarette from one of the construction workers or an electrical malfunction may have sparked the fire.
While the church is still threatened by precarious scaffolding, the structure has remained sound. Sensors placed on the cathedral to monitor any shifts in the structure or its foundation have not picked up any movement since work crews stabilized the high walls and vaulted ceiling of the church, The Associated Press reports.
French officials still hope to have the scaffolding removed by the fall and have Notre Dame fully restored in time for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-senate-defies-macron-says-notre-dame-should-emily-zanotti">controversial</a> timeline as surveying and refurbishing the medieval structure should take decades, according to experts.
&#8220;Surveying a medieval monument is the work of a dozen different specialists. You have to get these people together to understand what they can bring because an edifice like this one is so complex that no single person has all the expertise necessary,&#8221; one historian told <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20190429-france-experts-warn-macron-against-rushing-rebuilding-notre-dame">France 24</a>.
&#8220;From an archaeological point of view, one of the risks of rushing in is that you can’t guarantee the sustainability of the work,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Building a monument is something that can be done rapidly. Restoring a monument is infinitely more complex.&#8221;
The complete restoration is <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/04/25/billionaires-rushed-save-notre-dame-amid-backlash-economists-now-say-they-may-have-pledged-more-than-needed/">estimated</a> to cost as much as $670 million, according to early assessments. Fortunately, over $1 billion has been pledged or donated to the cause already, largely by people across France and the United States.
Whether Notre Dame is restored to look as it did before the fire or include contemporary touches remains to be seen. French President Emmanuel Macron and the French government announced an international architecture competition in the days following the fire to determine how the church would be restored.
Any attempts to modernize the cathedral may prove unpopular with the French people, however. According to a poll conducted last year by Odoxa-Dentsu, 55% of the French people want to see Notre Dame restored to exactly how it was before the fire, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/05/757472597/what-will-a-reconstructed-notre-dame-look-like-the-answer-is-up-for-debate">NPR</a> reports.

‘50% Chance’: Notre Dame Cathedral In Danger After Work Crews Disperse Over Coronavirus

COVID

A year after Notre Dame Cathedral nearly burned to the ground, the Paris, France, landmark will open for an Easter Week celebration as a message of hope amid world struggling with an ongoing pandemic.
&#8220;A small congregation of worshippers will hold a Good Friday service at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a year after it was devastated by fire, but attendance will be limited because of a lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak,&#8221; <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200407-a-year-after-blaze-notre-dame-to-hold-good-friday-mass-amid-virus-lockdown">France24 reported</a> Tuesday, noting that this is the first time any worshippers or clergy have gathered in the cathedral since a fire, which started on the roof, devastated the centuries-old church.
The Archibishop of Paris says the service, which will involve no more than 20 people, all practicing appropriate social distancing, will be broadcast across the globe online: &#8220;Only a few priests will attend the masses that we will celebrate during the Holy Week and people will be able to follow services on radio or on television.&#8221;
During the broadcast, the Archbishop will display the Cathedral&#8217;s prized relic, the crown of thorns, thought to be the original crown of thorns worn by Jesus during his trials at the hands of Roman soldiers just hours before his crucifixion and death.
Good Friday, of course, is the worldwide commemoration of the Jesus Christ&#8217;s death and a solemn holiday for the world&#8217;s Christians. Easter celebrations follow on Sunday, the third day after Jesus&#8217;s death on the cross, when Christians believe Christ was resurrected.
Catholic News Agency collected further details of the service, which will begin at 11:30am, Paris time.
&#8220;Archbishop Aupetit will lead a meditation on the Passion of Christ inside the cathedral in the apse behind Notre-Dame’s Pietà. He will be joined by Msgr. Patrick Chauvet, rector of Notre-Dame and Auxiliary Bishop Denis Jachiet,&#8221; <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/notre-dame-cathedral-to-broadcast-crown-of-thorns-veneration-on-good-friday-50346?fbclid=IwAR0zu_9oI44VuRiInUR5LyjhXsC8DO6bKzJgZ7CfwSgf1QB1p1rohZiJIM4">the outlet reports</a>. &#8220;French actors Philippe Torreton and Judith Chemla will read texts by Charles Péguy, Paul Claudel, and St. Teresa of Calcutta, while violinist Renaud Capuçon will provide musical accompaniment.&#8221;
The Archbishop originally planned a procession through the streets of Paris, as well, but that was scrapped over concerns about coronavirus, which has already claimed the lives of 8,900 people in France and has sickened more than 100,000.
The service will come just shy of the one-year anniversary of the Notre Dame Cathedral blaze, which took place on April 15 of last year. Authorities now believe that an errant spark, from ongoing construction on the Cathedral&#8217;s roof, set off the fire, which consumed most of the Cathedral&#8217;s roof and its trademark spire but, miraculously, left much of Notre Dame intact.
Restoration work is ongoing on the 500-year-old structure, but much of it ground to a halt with a coronavirus-related lockdown, ordered by the French government. When the lockdown is lifted, construction workers plan to finally remove miles of scaffolding from the roof, much of which was fused together in the fire and has to be cut apart and lowered to the ground.
French president Emanuel Macron has pledged that the Cathedral will open to the public again in as little as five years.

Message Of Hope: Notre Dame Cathedral Will Hold Good Friday Broadcast

It will be a true silent night at the Notre Dame Cathedral this year, as there will be no Christmas Mass for the first time since it was briefly converted to the secular &#8220;Temple of Reason&#8221; during the French Revolution.
&#8220;Notre Dame Cathedral is unable to host Christmas services for the first time since the French Revolution, because the Paris landmark was too deeply damaged by this year’s fire,&#8221; reported <a href="https://apnews.com/83fb3fa24f078a8fa51e1ea4cea77c88">The Associated Press</a>.
&#8220;Its exiled clergy, choir and congregation are celebrating the holiday in another Gothic church next to the Louvre Museum instead,&#8221; the report continued. &#8220;Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services will be held in the Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois church, once used for French royalty. Notre Dame’s rector, Monsignor Patrick Chauvet, will celebrate Mass there Wednesday for Notre Dame’s faithful, accompanied by song from some of Notre Dame’s now-itinerant choir.&#8221;
Though the structure remains largely intact, the fire from this past April torched the roof into disrepair and collapsed the spire. It will take nearly a decade to fully bring the church back to its former glory. The Associated Press provided some history around its miraculous survival for nearly a millennia:
<blockquote>
The world-renowned cathedral has seen plenty of upheaval since its first stone was laid in 1163. It halted services after revolutionaries overthrew the monarchy and declared Notre Dame “a temple of reason,” but resumed religious activities under Napoleon in 1803, according to cathedral officials.
It kept going during two world wars, and Nazi occupation. Soldiers guarded its Christmas Mass in 2015, weeks after France’s deadliest-ever terror attacks.
</blockquote>
As The Daily Wire’s Emily Zanotti <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/48941/devastating-notre-dame-fire-was-probably-started-emily-zanotti">reported</a>, the Notre Dame fire most likely originated from a burning cigarette, leading prosecutors to investigate whether or not the fire resulted from mere negligence. Several weeks after the initial blaze, the scaffolding firm originally charged with renovating the Notre Dame cathedral <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/46416/scaffolding-firm-construction-workers-smoked-paul-bois">admitted that construction</a> workers were smoking cigarettes on site. However, the company, Le Bras Freres, denies that it started the fire.
“We condemn it. But the fire started inside the building … so for company Le Bras, this is not a hypothesis, it was not a cigarette butt that set Notre-Dame de Paris on fire,” said Le Bras spokesman Marc Eskenazi.
Following the fire, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the cathedral will eventually be even “more beautiful,” while also calling for it to be rebuilt in just five years.
“The fire at Notre Dame reminds us that our history never stops and we will always have challenges to overcome,” Macron <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/17/notre-dame-fire-macron-promises-to-make-cathedral-more-beautiful-than-before">said</a>. “We will rebuild Notre Dame, more beautiful than before — and I want it done in the next five years. We can do it. After the time of testing comes a time of reflection and then of action.”
Experts speculate, however, that the rebuilding of Notre Dame could take decades. For instance, the roof was comprised of oak beams cut from centuries-old trees that likely do not even exist in Europe today.
“Some of that material may be reusable, and that’s a painstaking exercise. It’s like an archaeological excavation,” Duncan Wilson, chief executive of the conservation organization Historic England, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/17/notre-dame-fire-macron-promises-to-make-cathedral-more-beautiful-than-before">The Guardian</a>.

FRANCE-NOTREDAME-FIRE-FEATURE

No Christmas Mass At Notre Dame For First Time In Over 200 Years

Christmas

Notre Dame Cathedral is undergoing major renovations following a disastrous fire that collapsed the roof and nearly burned the centuries-old church to the ground, but despite the best efforts of architects, the French government, and generous donors, Notre Dame de Paris may not yet be safe from ruin.
<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20191214-reporters-granted-rare-look-restoration-paris-notre-dame-cathedral-fire-rebuild">France24</a> was granted a rare look inside the Cathedral and filmed the tour, led by the chief architect of the resurrection project. The view is disheartening, to say the least.
&#8220;Once inside <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20190819-notre-dame-clean-resume-safety-lead-contamination" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Notre-Dame</a>, there is a quiet stillness. The floor of the nave has been cleared except for some piles of gravel. It rains inside the church,&#8221; France24 reports. &#8220;One has to look up to understand just how <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20190813-notre-dame-cathedral-paris-workers-remove-toxic-lead" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">much work has to be done</a>. There are gaping holes in the vaults of the ceiling, twisted piles of burned metal and wood, and at the summit, partially burned scaffolding towers overhead, still in danger of collapsing. The 300-ton structure must be reinforced before it can be taken down slowly, piece by piece, a process expected to take until June.&#8221;
There are also &#8220;tents&#8221; in front of the cathedral, covering what precious items have been rescued and now await restoration.
The most pressing problem, though, is the roof, which disintegrated in the April fire &#8212; a blaze that started, it seems, after a construction worker dropped a smoldering cigarette onto a piece of ancient woodwork on the cathedral&#8217;s roof.
The roof is open now, riddled with holes and not structurally sound but restorers have no choice but to leave what is left of the roof intact lest more of the church collapse. It&#8217;s also not clear how strong the steel structure that supports the roof is. It has been heat-tempered and it is now turned and twisted. Experts in charge of the renovation say they do not know whether dismantling more of the roof and its support structure will exacerbate structural weaknesses, <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20191015-notre-dame-cathedral-not-yet-totally-saved-six-months-after-devastating-fire-1">France24 reported in October</a>.
“If we remove the burned wood and the pieces of the framing that burned, and the metal elements that accumulated since April 15th, we don&#8217;t know what will happen. So today <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20191015-notre-dame-cathedral-not-yet-totally-saved-six-months-after-devastating-fire-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">we absolutely cannot say that Notre-Dame has been saved</a>.”
The real work on the cathedral still hasn&#8217;t begun, either. According to France24, that may not begin until next year.
&#8220;French Culture Minister Franck Riester said that before rebuilding can begin, several more months of conservation work done in parallel with an evaluation of the cathedral’s soundness need to be completed,&#8221; the outlet reported.
“For us, the top priority is to do a quality restoration that captures the height of what our history represents for our country, for Paris, for the <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/catholic-church/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Catholic religion</a>, for Notre Dame,” the official added, noting that France still hasn&#8217;t decided what route it will take when it finally begins reconstruction on the roof &#8212; whether it will go back the way it was or change completely to be more &#8220;modern&#8221; &#8212; but French officials, at least, will let the public have a say.
“We are determined to do things in a totally transparent manner,” Riester told officials.

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