A Catholic cleric carries a wooden cross during the Good Friday celebrations and the third anniversary of the Notre-Dame fire in front of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France on April 15, 2022. (Photo by Jiro Mochizuki/Anadolu Agency via Getty I PARIS - On the third anniversary of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire, which also falls on the Christian holiday of Good Friday, the race to reconstruct the Paris landmark continues — as well as the investigation into the exact cause of the flames.Notre Dame, a monument that has withstood centuries of wars and revolutions, was ravaged by a massive fire on April 15, 2019, as it was undergoing renovations.
The flame tore through the cathedral’s roof, knocked down its spire, and threatened to bring the rest of the medieval monument down too, as the rest of the world watched in horror.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday visited the Notre Dame Cathedral to mark the anniversary, wearing a hard hat and taking a tour to see recent developments at the site.
Authorities hope to have Notre Dame open to visitors and religious services in 2024, the year Paris hosts the Olympics. But with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and safety rules over the presence of lead that was melted or dispersed in the fire, workers have faced difficult conditions and interruptions.In September 2021, the cathedral was finally deemed stable and secure enough to start reconstruction, and work on the spire started in December.