CathĂ©drale Notre-Dame de Paris. Simply, Notre Dame. A medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la CitĂ© in the 4th arrondissement of  Paris, France. Construction began in 1163 and it was a mere 182 years later when the magnificent cathedral, consecrated to the Virgin Mary, opened to the public in 1345.

Notre Dame survived the atheist French Revolution, the Liberation of Paris from Nazi Germany (Aug 19, 1944 – Aug 25, 1944), ferocious storms, and various uprisings throughout the centuries, but at just before 18:20 CEST, on April 15, 2019, a fire broke out underneath the roof of the main cathedral. The cause was never confirmed, although a short circuit presently ranks at or near the top of most lists.

The fire spread quickly and by the time it was extinguished, the main spire had collapsed, most of the roof had been destroyed, and the upper walls were severely damaged. And of course, there was extensive smoke and water damage. Little did the once-magnificent cathedral know what its future now likely holds.

Now, two-and-a-half years later as restoration continues, reports of what one of the world’s most iconic buildings will look like after full restoration is complete have surfaced. I don’t want to spoil the rest of the story, but as I dug into various reports in preparation for writing this article, one of the first words that came to mind was DESECRATION. 

I don’t even know where to begin; this boils my blood, and I already know where it’s going.

I don’t even know where to begin; this boils my blood, and I already know where it’s going.

As reported by the Daily Mail, a new “discovery trail” will lead visitors through 14 chapels, with the final chapter being dedicated to — wait for it — climate change and the environment. Africa and Asia will also be given prominence in other cathedrals, while Europe, the Americas, and Oceania are “tucked behind the apse, or totally absent.”

In addition (subtraction), confessional boxes, altars, and classical sculptures, according to the Mail, will be scrapped and replaced with trendy art murals, with sound and lighting effects creating “emotional spaces.” Scriptures will be beamed onto the walls in foreign languages — one of them, Mandarin, the official language of Communist China.

OK, hold the bus. Are we sure we’re talking about Notre Dame and not Disneyland Paris, here?

Exactly. Award-winning Paris-based architect Maurice Culot told The Telegraph just that: “It’s as if Disney were entering Notre Dame.”

“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.”

Again, exactly. The Brits might be a lot of things, but they are fiercely loyal to their heritage, traditions, and the (silly) Crown. No way would this desecration take place in London — or anywhere else in the country — to a building with the historical significance of Notre Dame Cathedral.

As noted by Daily Mail, a senior source with access to the latest restoration plans told the Telegraph the plans risk turning Notre Dame into an “experimental showroom” that would “mutilate” the cathedral.

“Can you imagine the administration of the Holy See allowing something like this in the Sistine Chapel? It would be unimaginable. We are not in an empty space here. ‘This is political correctness gone mad.

“They want to turn Notre-Dame into an experimental liturgical showroom that exists nowhere else whereas it should be a landmark where the slightest change must be handled with great care.”

According to Daily Mail, the fate of the “woke” Notre Dame plans will come down to a December 9 meeting of the French national heritage commission. However, given the final stages of the planning process and the amount of detail reported, what I just described — and worse — appears headed for a lock.

On a personal note, I visited Notre Dame some years back. I was first struck by how old and monolithic it appeared. When we entered the cathedral, a mass was underway, and surrounding the open area, along the walls, were small, for lack of a better term, “trinket shops,” as I recall.

I found that part of the experience odd. Particularly while mass was underway.

Who’d a thunk this is where we’d be, today, Notre Dame?  You certainly deserve better.

One thing I do know, for sure: I won’t be coming back for a visit.