A mass will be celebrated behind closed doors this Wednesday, June 16 at 6 p.m. inside Notre-Dame (4th) by Bishop Michel Aupetit.
The Archbishop of Paris will take advantage of the feast of the dedication (which consecrates a church as a place of worship) to launch a new appeal for donations intended to finance the interior fittings of the building which are entirely the responsibility of the diocese.
Bishop Aupetit's ambition is twofold.
“Bring the cathedral into the 21st century, while maintaining the preservation of its own identity, in the spirit of Christian Tradition.
But it seems essential to us to offer the keys to understanding it in order to inscribe it in the collective memory of today ”, explains the Archbishop.
A call for donations for the benches
Placed under the responsibility of Gilles Drouin, director of the higher institute of liturgy at the Catholic Institute of Paris, this vast redevelopment program aims to improve the reception of the 12 million faithful, pilgrims and tourists who flocked each year to Notre-Dame before the fire of April 15, 2019. The entrance, which used to be through the south portal, on the Seine side, will now be through the large portal. The diocese also announces that “a route will be proposed, along the side chapels, to the Crown of Thorns in the east to give visitors, often of non-Christian culture, the keys to understanding the Mystery to which the cathedral was built ”.
Renewal of the benches, the furniture of the choir and in particular the altar (the old one was damaged by the fire), lighting, sound, creation of a music room and extension of the choir organ are included. to the specifications.
While specifying that "among the artists selected, several will donate their creation", the diocese estimates the cost of this redevelopment at "5 to 6 million euros".
A budget which will be financed by the collection of the "cathedral fund", placed under the aegis of the Notre-Dame foundation, one of the 4 foundations authorized to receive donations within the framework of the national subscription.
As of June 10, the Notre-Dame foundation has collected 85.8 million euros in donations, out of a total of 267.7 million euros in pledges.
For more information:
don.fondationnotredame.fr/pourquevivenotredame