Three years to the day after the fire that partially destroyed Notre-Dame de Paris on April 15, 2019, Bishop Patrick Chauvet looks back on the main stages of the reconstruction of the building and the deadlines to come. The rector and archpriest of the cathedral received us in his office.
In the middle of Holy Week, and while the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron is expected this Friday to make a progress report on the site, Mrg Patrick Chauvet recalled the importance of the work in progress, essential to be able to reopen the cathedral in public as planned, in 2024.
The Notre-Dame reconstruction site is now well advanced. Can we come back to the main stages?
The cathedral had to be secured first, which took much longer than expected. Because the cathedral has moved, because we had to put up props, remove the big statues. Because it was necessary to remove the great charred and entangled scaffolding, which threatened the cathedral. It was the first part, now complete.
The second part consisted of taking stock of the situation, estimating the extent of the damage and seeing how to repair it. For example, a floor had to be made to access the vaults, which we had to support since the water used by the firefighters damaged the joints. [en sable, ndlr] between the stones of the vault.
Now comes the third part, the actual restoration: we have to redo the great vault, which today is a gaping hole, the frame, which we call “the forest”, as well as the spire. You have to do these three major projects at the same time, and avoid having to take everything apart and put it back together.
Parisians will see the spire gradually rise on the cathedral in the course of 2023. An arrow which, as you know, will be rebuilt identically, to the nearest centimetre. And in the same materials.
What were the major challenges of the past year?
There are several things: first, it was a question of carrying out tests at the level of the restoration of the paintings, in the ambulatory, tests at the level of the cleaning of the stones. But it was also a question of cleaning the cathedral, in order to remove all the lead dust.
We also did archaeological digs. As you know, when you do work on a national monument, you have to do preventive excavations. Ours were made under the liturgical podium. Very interesting excavations, since we discovered beautiful pieces that belonged to the rood screen, dating from the 14th century.
Some had been deposited during the work of Viollet-le-Duc [entre 1845 et 1867, ndlr] in the Louvre, and others had been buried there. These are the ones we found, including beautiful heads as well as colorful bodies. We also found foundations, and the heating that had been installed by Viollet-le-Duc.
Above all, you have made a historical discovery…
We actually found a lead sarcophagus, which dates from the 14th century. It is probably a canon, unknown since there is no name and we know that more than 400 canons were buried in the cathedral.
On Tuesday, the sarcophagus was removed so experts could study how the dead were prepared and buried in the 14th century. I accepted for the history of the cathedral. On the other hand, I asked that he be truly treated with respect and that the body be returned.
The excavations being completed, it is now necessary to fill in the entire site, so that we can install the last scaffolding next week, access the hole [laissé par l’effondrement de la nef, ndlr] and start rebuilding the vault. This represents between 300 to 500 tons of scaffolding.
Is it the big deadline of 2022?
Yes, finish plugging the hole in the ground, erect the new scaffolding and then tackle the consolidation of the vaults and the reconstruction of the great vault, the frame and finally, the spire.
We will then continue to clean the cathedral, where in the end very few things were damaged. The fire did not enter the cathedral. After the tragedy, you have to look at the positive side, it is still an opportunity to clean the cathedral, as we have never done.
The judicial investigation is nearing completion. Are you awaiting the conclusions of the legal aspect of the fire?
I think that, from the beginning, I understood that it was going to be just a series of unfortunate coincidences. We will never find the answer, Mr. so-and-so, Mrs. so-and-so or society so-and-so. I don’t think that is possible.
It’s been a long time since I got used to the idea that we’d never find [de coupable, ndlr]. And since I’m not Sherlock Holmes, I trust the judicial police, who did the job very well.
Will the promise made by Emmanuel Macron to return the cathedral to the French in 2024 be kept?
President Emmanuel Macron had said: “in 5 years, I will give you back the cathedral so that it can be worshipped”. Five years will mean April 16, 2024. Will it be that date or another? Either way, I want it to happen as soon as possible. But it could also be in December 2024.
I would especially like it to be on the occasion of a Marian feast, like December 8 on the occasion of the feast of the Immaculate Conception. It would be a sign of delicacy towards the Virgin Mary. I am convinced that it was Mary who protected the cathedral.
I often say that she was saved, thanks to the firefighters, also thanks to the Compagnons who, the next day [de l’incendie, ndlr]were already at 5am trying to consolidate the building but above all thanks to the Virgin Mary.
It is unheard. This statue should have exploded, since the great vault fell on it. Now the stones were at his feet. For me, it was still a sign. It was she who wanted to stay until the end. She did not leave the ship.