(VOVWORLD) - A small congregation in white hard hats attended a mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, the first service since a fire devastated the Gothic landmark two months ago.
 (Source: Reuters) |
Church leaders are keen to show life goes on at the cathedral as donations for rebuilding trickle in. Less than 10% of the 950 million USD pledged by billionaires, business leaders and others has been received so far, the French government said.
The mass, which commemorates the cathedral’s consecration as a place of worship, was held in a side-chapel left undamaged by the April 15 fire attended by 30 people wearing protective headgear.
On Friday, France’s Culture Minister Franck Riester said the cathedral was still in a fragile state, especially the vault. President Emmanuel Macron has set a target of five years for restoring the cathedral.