Notre Dame

 

My father is safe, but he’s been evacuated—indefinitely—so he’s sleeping in my bed. I’m sleeping in the attic. “It’s twenty years, I’ve been looking out on Notre Dame. That building is completely part of my life,” he said, before falling asleep.

It’s devastating. To walk across the Seine and not see the spire is devastating. To some extent, you know the feeling: it’s like seeing the Twin Towers in flames. A sense at once that it cannot be happening, and yet it is. I’ve just heard that the rose windows — built in 1260 — exploded. They are lost I feel a grief I can’t describe: They won’t be there for the next generation. Passed on, and passed on, generation after generation, and now, forevermore, people will see replicas of those windows. Reconstructions. With a plaque that explains there was a fire.

In the crowd, as we watched it burn, someone tried to rally spirits by singing the Marseillaise. I joined him. We got to “L’étendard sanglant est levé,” and someone said, “Bah oui,” and then we both fell silent.

There is some good news: they have saved the structure. The North tower has been saved. There is bad: a fireman has been severely injured. The roof has almost entirely been destroyed. The upper rose windows have melted.

I tried to describe what I was seeing to my father, but couldn’t. “We use the word ‘cathedral’ as a metaphor for everything,” I said. “What metaphor do you use for this?” I pointed at the cathedral in flames.

“It’s not a good omen,” he said.

Published in General
Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 81 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    This was linked in the following article on the American Conservative: Notre Dame Fire: A Sign For Our Time.

     

    • #31
  2. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    To simply ask questions and bring up the fact that other Catholic churches in France have been recently vandalized (and one set on fire) will get you quickly booted off a news program apparently.

    • #32
  3. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    To simply ask questions and bring up the fact that other Catholic churches in France have been recently vandalized (and one set on fire) will get you quickly booted off a news program apparently.

    Unpossible. Never happen.

    From South Carolina

    A South Carolina church had three of its 125-year-old windows broken and was vandalized with Islamic-themed graffiti Sunday hours after celebrating Palm Sunday.

    “Submit to God thru Islam” and “Muhammed is his prophet” were spray-painted on the outside of Midway Presbyterian Church, according to local police.

    • #33
  4. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Somewhat of a miracle if true….

    Rose windows of Notre Dame are safe but fate of other treasures is unclear

     

    • #34
  5. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    To simply ask questions and bring up the fact that other Catholic churches in France have been recently vandalized (and one set on fire) will get you quickly booted off a news program apparently.

    Unpossible. Never happen.

    From South Carolina

    A South Carolina church had three of its 125-year-old windows broken and was vandalized with Islamic-themed graffiti Sunday hours after celebrating Palm Sunday.

    “Submit to God thru Islam” and “Muhammed is his prophet” were spray-painted on the outside of Midway Presbyterian Church, according to local police.

    Just so I don’t get pegged as a conspiracy theorist, I’m not saying that the fire at Notre Dame was arson or a terrorist act but I am amazed at how quickly prosecutors made the determination to treat the incident as “accidental” even as the last flames were being doused. Why label the incident as anything at this point? Or if they’ve firmly concluded it was started accidentally, then what are the reasons they’ve come to that conclusion so quickly? Why are journalists not asking for those reasons?

    • #35
  6. Sabrdance Member
    Sabrdance
    @Sabrdance

    1.) The burning cathedral provides a lot of metaphors.  The burned out cathedral provides a lot more.  The original stonework is still standing.  Everything that burned was modern, except the roof.  As some wit put it, a lot of 13th century stonemasons are smirking in heaven saying “of course it stayed up.”

    The phrase we’re looking for is “built better than they knew.”

    2.) Most of the treasures were saved -including the Rose Windows and the organ.  At this point, it may have only been the altar backing that was lost.

    3.) Structural safety be ignored -hold the Easter Vigil and Mass in the Cathedral anyway.

    • #36
  7. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    “She’s Safe In Our Hands”

    Compare, and contrast, Julien Le Bras, and AOC.

    • #37
  8. Django Member
    Django
    @Django

    Stad (View Comment):

    Chris B (View Comment):
    My goodness, but you have a suspicious mind!

    As do I. The first thing that came to my mind was “Muslim terrorists” . . .

    Skepticism is probably justified here:

    On Friday Islamic terrorists Inez Madani was jailed for eight years for her attempted car bombing outside of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

    There is a claim by Sotiri Dimpinoudis, whoever he is, that “the French media confirmed there were no construction workers at Notre Dame Cathedral at the time of the devastating fire.”

    • #38
  9. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Kozak (View Comment):

    C’mon James. Say it.

    You know you want to.

    I don’t want to read too much into your comment, but are you implying that I don’t say it because I fear I’ll be accused to islamophobia, or that I really want to say it because I really want to blame Muslims for everything?

    • #39
  10. Pugshot Inactive
    Pugshot
    @Pugshot

    Kozak

    Somewhat of a miracle if true….

    Rose windows of Notre Dame are safe but fate of other treasures is unclear

    Here is a photo of Notre Dame’s rose window (the one on the front facade between the two towers) I took on a visit in 2007.

     

    • #40
  11. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Claire & all,

    I think the Rose Windows made it OK.

     

     

     

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #41
  12. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Claire,

    Stay away from the air around Notre Dame. Heavy metals are bad stuff. This is one of the reasons I’m still a skeptic about electric cars. Wait till they have 5 million huge battery packs per year to dispose of or recycle. Heavy metals are a serious problem.

    So very good that you are both OK. If your father needs cheering up tell him I found a good quote from that renowned meta-mathematician W.C. Fields. “Never give a finitist an even break.” If he doesn’t find this funny I’ll keep trying.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #42
  13. Dr.Guido Member
    Dr.Guido
    @DrGuido

    I was privileged to meet your father—in a taxi in San Francisco many years ago. I’m delighted he is safe…The world, I fear, is less so, day by day.

    • #43
  14. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    Kozak (View Comment):

    C’mon James. Say it.

    You know you want to.

    I don’t want to read too much into your comment, but are you implying that I don’t say it because I fear I’ll be accused to islamophobia, or that I really want to say it because I really want to blame Muslims for everything?

    We all know why the Europe is suddenly full of armed guards. And barriers. And bollards. 

    Islamic terrorism.   But we seem to need to tip toe around it oh so delicately.

    Was this terrorism? Probably not.  But the reflexive “not terrorism” pronouncements that latter turn out to be a tad premature when time and again, gosh darn it! It was terrorism are pretty common.    Even raising the possibility gets one tossed from the media.

     

    • #44
  15. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Pugshot (View Comment):

    Kozak

    Somewhat of a miracle if true….

    Rose windows of Notre Dame are safe but fate of other treasures is unclear

    Here is a photo of Notre Dame’s rose window (the one on the front facade between the two towers) I took on a visit in 2007.

    [Hmmm – can’t seem to figure out how to get the photo to show up larger; any help would be appreciated!]

    My first visit to Notre Dame was in 1976 on a college trip.  Prior to that my understanding of the word “Gothic” conjured up images of mass, darkness, gloom.  

    Then I walked into Notre Dame and it was light, airy, bright and full of color. Amazing.   I was captivated by the beauty of the rose windows.   When I got back from my trip I made a point of taking a “History of Art and Architecture” course to learn about all the amazing things I had seen on that trip to Europe.

    • #45
  16. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    This is a wonderful story about how the volunteers formed a human chain to save the art and relics in Notre Dame. 

    • #46
  17. Hank Rhody, Meddling Cowpoke Contributor
    Hank Rhody, Meddling Cowpoke
    @HankRhody

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.: In the crowd, as we watched it burn, someone tried to rally spirits by singing the Marseillaise. I joined him. We got to “L’étendard sanglant est levé,” and someone said, “Bah oui,” and then we both fell silent.

    Not speaking the language myself, can someone translate that line, or at least explain what it means?

    • #47
  18. Pugshot Inactive
    Pugshot
    @Pugshot

    Hank Rhody, Meddling Cowpoke 

    Claire Berlinski, Ed.: In the crowd, as we watched it burn, someone tried to rally spirits by singing the Marseillaise. I joined him. We got to “L’étendard sanglant est levé,” and someone said, “Bah oui,” and then we both fell silent.

    Not speaking the language myself, can someone translate that line, or at least explain what it means?

    Drawing on my high-school French (and a quick check on Google Translate), a more or less literal translation is: “The bloody standard (banner) is raised.”

    • #48
  19. Pugshot Inactive
    Pugshot
    @Pugshot

    @kozak

    My first visit to Notre Dame was in 1976 on a college trip. Prior to that my understanding of the word “Gothic” conjured up images of mass, darkness, gloom.

    Then I walked into Notre Dame and it was light, airy, bright and full of color. Amazing. I was captivated by the beauty of the rose windows. When I got back from my trip I made a point of taking a “History of Art and Architecture” course to learn about all the amazing things I had seen on that trip to Europe.

    Sort of like this?

    • #49
  20. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Pugshot (View Comment):

    @kozak

    My first visit to Notre Dame was in 1976 on a college trip. Prior to that my understanding of the word “Gothic” conjured up images of mass, darkness, gloom.

    Then I walked into Notre Dame and it was light, airy, bright and full of color. Amazing. I was captivated by the beauty of the rose windows. When I got back from my trip I made a point of taking a “History of Art and Architecture” course to learn about all the amazing things I had seen on that trip to Europe.

    Sort of like this?

    Yup.

    • #50
  21. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    To simply ask questions and bring up the fact that other Catholic churches in France have been recently vandalized (and one set on fire) will get you quickly booted off a news program apparently.

    Drew Klavan talked about this. Whatever happened to reporters trying to provide context? A media that has thoroughly discredited itself fully accepts the authorities’ pronouncement that it “wasn’t terrorism” and then shuts up anyone who thinks the verdict was suspiciously hasty. Neil and Shep Smith should be ashamed.

    • #51
  22. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Kozak (View Comment):

    We all know why the Europe is suddenly full of armed guards. And barriers. And bollards. 

    Islamic terrorism. But we seem to need to tip toe around it oh so delicately.

    That’s the tone I was suggesting. The wave of the hand, the shrug. 

    • #52
  23. Brian Watt Inactive
    Brian Watt
    @BrianWatt

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Brian Watt (View Comment):

    To simply ask questions and bring up the fact that other Catholic churches in France have been recently vandalized (and one set on fire) will get you quickly booted off a news program apparently.

    Drew Klavan talked about this. Whatever happened to reporters trying to provide context? A media that has thoroughly discredited itself fully accepts the authorities’ pronouncement that it “wasn’t terrorism” and then shuts up anyone who thinks the verdict was suspiciously hasty. Neil and Shep Smith should be ashamed.

    It seems to me that if you don’t know how the fire started and what set it off, you don’t declare that it was an accident or say you’re treating it as accident until you’re able to piece together what seems to be the most credible information that points to a very probable cause. So, two plus days later, investigators still don’t know how the fire started, what triggered it, or if, in fact, it was accidentally started by a renovation worker. There have been reports that some investigators are blaming the renovation workers for gross incompetence but based on what? Where are the journalists asking these questions and pressing investigators or a spokesperson for what they have or don’t have? If you can’t point to the cause why is anyone being blamed for anything at this point? Maybe it was an electrical short. Maybe some circuits were overloaded somewhere and sparked and set something small on fire. Maybe it was caused by workers who overloaded a circuit. Who knows? I understand the uneasiness about pointing to terrorism but why point to anything including that it was accidental until some compelling evidence surfaces?

    • #53
  24. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    It is going to take awhile to search through all the rubble and rubbish to find a possible flash point. It may or may not have anything to do with any human.

    • #54
  25. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    An interesting glimpse into those framing the news.

    • #55
  26. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    Kozak (View Comment):

    We all know why the Europe is suddenly full of armed guards. And barriers. And bollards.

    Islamic terrorism. But we seem to need to tip toe around it oh so delicately.

    That’s the tone I was suggesting. The wave of the hand, the shrug.

    But don’t you want to just say it?  I want to grab people and shake them to wake up.  

    It’s surreal.

      I was listening to a Catholic invited onto Cavuto’s show to discuss the fire as it was burning. As soon as he mentioned that over a dozen Catholic churches had been vandalized in France recently, and one set on fire by arson last week in Paris, and wanted to just raise the possibility this might not be an accident, Cavuto cut him off and eventually hung up on him.  Sheppard Smith was even more aggressively dismissive earlier in the afternoon, ” nope not going there, not on my watch”.   

    We can’t even raise the question.  

    • #56
  27. Penfold Member
    Penfold
    @Penfold

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    A lovely piano melody drifted from an open window. The pianist seemed to be improvising. The melody would turn discordant, and he would stop. Then he would try again.

    James Lileks, the master of Midwest haiku.

    A pianist plays
    The melody turns discordant
    And the children weep

    • #57
  28. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Kozak (View Comment):

    It’s surreal.

    I was listening to a Catholic invited onto Cavuto’s show to discuss the fire as it was burning. As soon as he mentioned that over a dozen Catholic churches had been vandalized in France recently, and one set on fire by arson last week in Paris, and wanted to just raise the possibility this might not be an accident, Cavuto cut him off and eventually hung up on him. Sheppard Smith was even more aggressively dismissive earlier in the afternoon, “nope, not going there, not on my watch,”

    We can’t even raise the question.

    I have seen so many statements over the last two days about the rash of vandalism of Catholic churches in France that I’ve been wondering about it. But until I saw this comment, I didn’t bother to investigate any further. Now that I have, your term “surreal” news coverage is the only accurate way to describe it.

    This self-censorship is hard to understand. I can’t imagine what they think they are doing or whom they think they are protecting.

    Although the perpetrators could be Muslims, it could also be the Communists–the Chinese Communists not too long ago lopped off every church steeple and cross they could find in China. In January 2018 they blew up a church completely. The French Communist Party is the third-largest party in France.

    But yesterday on the front page of the Wall Street Journal‘s online publication, one of the top stories of the day was that the WSJ had won a Pulitzer for its coverage of the Stormy Daniels incident.

    The absence of news coverage of the serious vandalism of the churches throughout Western Europe and particularly France is, as you said, surreal.

    I don’t know what kind of violence these news outlets think they are avoiding by not covering these vandalism stories. Christians are seldom, if ever, violent against other groups, even those groups that offend them. They are usually the victims.

    The bigger story here is what the mainstream media is trying to accomplish by squelching this news, all the while promoting a nonstory about Stormy Daniels.

    This is not news reporting. It’s their blatant attempt to manipulate current events.

    I’ve always looked at the press as private-sector businesses, free to do what they want. Now I wonder if I’ve been wrong about this, and if it is time to ask the industry to create some internal standards for reporting.

    • #58
  29. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    MarciN (View Comment):

    This is not news reporting. It’s their blatant attempt to manipulate current events.

    I’ve always looked at the press as private-sector businesses, free to do what they want. Now I wonder if I’ve been wrong about this, and if it is time to ask the industry to create some internal standards for reporting.

    @Marcin, you are so right and in my old age have simply quit reading any of the “great and popular” news sources. I pretty much stick with the odd ball blogs that I think are telling the truth.

    • #59
  30. Archie Campbell Member
    Archie Campbell
    @ArchieCampbell

    We were fortunate to see it in December.

    Taken 12/27/2018.

    • #60
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.