Notre Dame de Paris Before the Flames

I have been watching flames engulf Notre Dame today and as a Christian, an artist, and a teacher of Christian history, I am devastated!

The destruction of this beautiful, Gothic cathedral is an unbelievable loss to art and Christian and French history, and to Paris, France, and the world.

I saw Notre Dame de Paris in person for the first time last fall and loved every part of it from its steeple and  flying buttresses to its statues and stained glass windows. We explored the cathedral inside and out and went to a mass to hear the organ and see the church as it was meant to be–a house of worship.

We were in Paris a number of days and stayed so near Notre Dame that we passed it almost every day as we came and went to other churches and museums. I now recognize the places from which all the photos of the fire are being taken and I just can’t believe such destruction is happening to this 800 year-old, world-renowned Christian cathedral!

The steeple and the roof are gone. While we wait to know how much will survive, here are some photos we took that bring tears to my eyes but I still want to try to remember Notre Dame de Paris as this beautiful church.

Please pray with me that there will be no loss of life from this terrible fire and it will not spread to surrounding buildings!