Notre Dame de Paris is on fire

Picdelamirand-oil

Picdelamirand-oil

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Nov 30, 2017
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German reaction

Heiko Maas, German Foreign Minister: " Notre-Dame on fire breaks our hearts too. Our thoughts are with all the intervention forces and our French and French friends. We hope with them that this fire will not cause any casualties. »
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US reaction

The US should pay 17.83% of Notre Dame's reconstruction costs
The US should pay 17.83% of Notre Dame's reconstruction costs

France is a great nation and the French a glorious people. Notre Dame Cathedral speaks to that: Even while burning, it represents France's majestic culture and history. It was mostly completed just two years after the Mongol annihilation of Baghdad and 545 years before Napoleon's great victory of Austerlitz.

When rebuilt, Notre Dame will once again represent abundant French pride and resilience. America should play a part in that rebuilding. It will likely be expensive, perhaps reaching into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Still, France is our oldest ally. It is the ally that made George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams our nation's fathers, rather than traitors who died on the gallows at the hands of British rulers.

Now, France and Notre Dame deserve our help.

In service of our shared history and deep friendship, President Trump should consult with French President Emmanuel Macron. He should then ask Congress to authorize a grant to France worth 17.83% of Notre Dame's total reconstruction costs. That funding would serve two purposes: offering tangible solidarity to France and making that solidarity a partner to our continuing history. (1783 was the year the Treaty of Paris was signed and Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States.)

This isn't only about symbolism, however.

Mutual interest demands that France and America face the rest of the 21st century together as allies. Helping France return Notre Dame to glory will represent something special but simple: America's clear intent that no hardship or fire will ever destroy our "fraternité."
 
Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral Is on Fire: 'It Feels Like the End of the World'
The roof of the famous structure went up in flames around 6:30 pm local time on Monday.
Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral Is on Fire: 'It Feels Like the End of the World'

A fire has broken out at Paris’s famous Notre Dame cathedral.

The blaze erupted around 6:30 p.m. Monday local time and appears to have completely consumed the landmark structure’s roof. The building’s spire has fallen and portions of the roof have collapsed, according to France 24.

André Finot, a spokesman for the cathedral, told the New York Times in a telephone interview that the spire of the cathedral had caught fire. Finot stated that the cause of the fire is not yet clear.

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Local TV network BFM-TV is reporting that the fire was “possibly linked” to the renovation of the building and began in the rafters, but there were no workers scheduled to be on the rooftop scaffolding at the hour the fire broke out.

A spokesperson for the cathedral told the BBC that the whole structure is “burning,” adding, “There will be nothing left.”

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A large security perimeter has been set up by firefighters. The first units to arrive on the scene have included four large ladders and two aerial lift arms.

Pedestrians are flooding the streets to watch the blaze, many in tears, one Paris resident tells PEOPLE. Twitter users are also documenting the scene.

“It feels like the end of the world,” one user wrote. “It’s getting worse. But the fire brigade has turned up. Hard to see how [to] tackle this. The plume of smoke is already 100s of feet long.”

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo sent out a message to residents of the city via Twitter: “A terrible fire is underway at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The @PompiersParis [are] trying to control the flames. We are mobilized on site in close connection with the @dioceseParis. I invite each and every one to respect the perimeter of security.”

“Our Lady of Paris in flames. Emotion of a whole nation. Thought for all Catholics and for all French. Like all our countrymen, I’m sad tonight to see this part of us burn,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted. He has reportedly canceled a speech tonight and is on his way to the scene.

President Donald Trump also weighed in, suggesting how best to battle the blaze in a tweet. “So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!” he wrote.

The Catholic cathedral is located on an island in the center of the capital called the Île de la Cité, surrounded by the River Seine. The building was completed around 1260, but has been modified over the centuries.


The French Gothic building is remarkable for its stained-glass rose window, flying buttresses and large spire. The latter has now collapsed after being consumed by flames. That spire replaced the original, which was damaged by wind and removed in the 18th century. The current one was made of oak covered with lead and weighed 750 tons.

Notre Dame was the subject of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which was made into a popular animated film by Disney in 1996.

​
 
Oh my god,oh my god.:cry:
My condolences to the french people.
A devastating blow to cultural heritage of not just france but the world.
Hopefully it is restored quickly with funds not just from french government but also UN.
 
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The Secretary of State to the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nunez, announces that "the fire has diminished in intensity". We can think that the structure of the building has been saved, especially the northern belfry," he says, while wishing to remain "extremely careful". This information was confirmed by a fire brigade spokesman, who stated that the cathedral's structure "is saved and preserved in its entirety".

"Two thirds of Notre-Dame's roof was destroyed," he said, however.
 
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The Heritage Foundation has just announced that it will launch a national fundraising campaign for the reconstruction of Notre-Dame tomorrow. "This collection will be available tomorrow on our website. No fees will be charged," the Foundation announced on Twitter.
 
In the evening, the Archbishop of Paris, Mgr Michel Aupetit, allowed all church leaders "to ring the bells[...] to invite them to pray". This has been the case in several buildings in Paris and its suburbs, where churches normally closed at night open exceptionally to welcome people affected by this event. In Asnières (Hauts-de-Seine), the bells of the Notre-Dame du Perpétuel-Secours church rang the bell at 10:50 p. m., while the parishioners of the neighbourhood gathered," says our journalist Philippe Broussard.
 
Fire of Notre Dame: "sadness" and "solidarity" within the international community

Spain, United States, Lebanon.... Many heads of state and political leaders from all countries have expressed their support for France.

Spain, United States, Germany, Lebanon... While a violent fire was still ongoing in Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, on Monday, April 15, heads of state and political leaders from all countries expressed their "sadness" and "solidarity" towards France.

Donald Trump, President of the United States, was the first head of state to speak, deploring a "horrible" fire and suggesting that Canadair be sent to control it. His predecessor, Barack Obama, also published a message of support for France "in these times of mourning".

For his part, the German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, also quickly expressed his support for France, believing that the ongoing fire was also hitting the "hearts" of the Germans. "Our thoughts go out to all emergency services and our French friends. With them, we hope that the fire will not cause any casualties," said the head of German diplomacy.

"What a pain to see these atrocious images of Notre-Dame on fire. Notre-Dame is a symbol of France and our European culture. All our thoughts to our French friends. We are at their side," said Steffen Seibert, spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel. In London, the mayor, Sadiq Khan, also expressed his solidarity: "Heartbreaking scenes from the Cathedral of Our Lady in Flames. London is in sadness with Paris today, and in friendship always. "Prime Minister Theresa May also addressed her "thoughts" to the French.

A "disaster for France and Europe"

"The Notre Dame fire is a disaster for France and Europe. The flames ravaged 850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture. It's going to be hard to forget. France can count on us to recover the greatness of its heritage," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, in French.

"What a sadness to see Notre-Dame Cathedral burned," also posted on his Twitter account, conservative Pablo Casado, leader of the opposition, who wanted to express his "solidarity with Parisians. The same goes for Pablo Iglesias, the leader of Podemos, the radical left formation, who also showed his "sadness" at the destruction "of this so beautiful place that has seen so much history".

The Mayor of Madrid, Manuela Carmena, also expressed her "sadness and[her] concern", while her counterpart in Barcelona, Ada Colau, gave "all[her] support".

In Brazil, a country devastated in September 2018 by the tragic fire at the Rio de Janeiro Museum, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro expressed on twitter his "deep regret" at the "terrible fire in one of the greatest symbols of Christian and Western spirituality and culture". "In this dark moment, our prayers go to the French," he added.

Unesco "alongside France".

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri also expressed his "sadness". "The whole world is saddened by the fire at Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. A disaster for the heritage and indescribable humanity. All of Lebanon's solidarity with the French people," he wrote on Twitter.

Anouar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, also reacted on Twitter: "Deeply saddened by the horrible fire that destroyed Notre Dame Cathedral. A sacred monument, important for France and beyond. It is appalling to see such a disaster happen. »

The same is true of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sissi: "It was with great sadness that I heard the news of the historic fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. This is a huge loss for all of humanity. I declare the solidarity of the Egyptian people with our French friends and I hope that the consequences of this terrible moment can be quickly overcome. »

Finally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, stands by "France's side to safeguard and rehabilitate the invaluable heritage" of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was destroyed by fire on Monday, tweeted its Director General, Audrey Azoulay. The Gothic cathedral built on the Ile de la Cité in the heart of Paris has been a World Heritage Site since 1991.

Incendie de Notre-Dame : « tristesse » et « solidarité » au sein de la communauté internationale
 
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Depressing sight. How did this happen? I heard this happened during the renovation. Which means many of the artifacts would have already moved out.
 
Yes, cry for Notre Dame

On Monday, the unthinkable happened: On a clear Paris evening, Notre Dame de Paris caught fire. The burning cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in the city of lights and an iconic testament to human art, architecture, and, above all, faith.

As millions of people watched on television and in the streets of Paris, the cathedral's Gothic spire went up in flames before collapsing along with several segments of the roof.

Originally completed in 1345, Notre Dame was the result of almost 200 years of work. Since then, it has survived centuries of religious violence, war, and political turmoil. Through it all, Notre Dame remained standing, majestically overlooking the Seine, a quiet witness to the ebb and flow of the city’s history over hundreds of years.

In the modern world, for visitors and residents alike, Notre Dame was, and will be, the same breathtaking sight that had greeted previous generations. Its dark interior and brilliant stained glass played off the wooden carvings of the choir screen, and relics set against its soaring stone arches conveyed every bit of majesty its architects had envisioned centuries earlier.

Watching flames tear through the cathedral, sending plumes of smoke and ashes billowing into the sky, captivated the world and stirred a deep sense of loss. It is not just a building on fire, but an irrecoverable part of our human past that we will never be able to share with our children or grandchildren.

For many, including myself, the immediate reaction to the sight of flames among its famed gargoyles was tears. Notre Dame was a profoundly human accomplishment and its loss is a similarly human one. Weeping for the building is not only understandable but an entirely appropriate expression of the unavoidable and visceral feeling of helplessness brought by the fiery destruction.

History is fragile, art is fleeting, and the fire of Notre Dame incomprehensible. The wonder of walking through its medieval doors will never be matched by even the best pictures.

Yes, cry for Notre Dame
 
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My condolences. I must say France is having a rough couple of years. I hope the French people find it in them the strength to recover from this tragedy and restore the glory and pride of their nation. Also, whatever damage was done by the fire I hope it isn't irreversible. Stay strong people.
 
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GuardianRED said:
?? Please stop making assumptions on the which people are making those smiley faces - and mentioning a community without actually proof - for all we know they could even be atheist !
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Totally agree, they maybe atheist or heck maybe even Christians. I have no proofs to suggest otherwise, so it is wrong on my part to make any assumptions or make suggestive comments, you have my apologies for that. However we did see this happen in India after the Pulwama suicide bombing. People making fun our misery and pain. A lot of them were arrested, some fired from their jobs, some suspended from colleges and every single one of them was from the that community. Does that give us the licence to make generalisations, not really. But we have to be mindful of reality.
 
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