Laudetur Iesus Christus, and welcome to Vatican Radio's live streamed broadcast of Vespers with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and seminarians at the Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame de Paris. My name is Christopher Wells. I'll be providing the English language commentary for this evening's liturgy. And as we begin our broadcast, I would like to welcome everyone joining us this evening through the various Vatican media channels: the Vatican Audio or Radio app, the Vatican News web portal or YouTube channel, or via one of our partner stations including EWTN TV, Catholic Faith Network in America, Salt and Light TV, Shalom World TV, Amadaran TV, Catholic TV, and Luminous Radio India. A very warm welcome, one and all.
Those of you watching the live video feed, you can see our Holy Father Pope Leo has entered the Cathedral of Notre Dame to a loud applause after greeting the faithful gathered outside the basilica to welcome him. The ceremony actually began at the entrance to the church. The deacon lighted the candles at the altar, the lucernarium ceremony. And at the entrance to the cathedral, the Pope blessed the faithful with holy water. And at the entrance, Pope Leo was greeted by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, the Archbishop of Paris, who will greet the Holy Father here in just a moment.
The ceremony began with the hymn Lumen. As is well known, it was seven years ago that the Cathedral Basilica of Notre Dame was largely destroyed by a tragic fire. The reconstruction took place over the course of about five years. It was reopened in December 2024. And Pope Leo is being shown some of the chapels here in the Basilica before he begins the liturgy of Vespers.
Notre Dame is, of course, one of the most visited places in Paris and a very significant monument for the Church in France as well as for the nation itself. The Holy Father begins the service with a moment of prayer before the high altar in the tabernacle with the monumental golden cross, which many of us will remember seeing pictures of the cross in the devastated sanctuary of Notre Dame immediately following the fire a few years ago. Again, the Holy Father kneeling in prayer at the beginning of the liturgy, and now proceeding to his place for the liturgy.
As the choir sings a hymn here, the Holy Father pausing for a moment before the relic of the crown of thorns, an important relic of Christ's passion which was saved from the fire. And one of the clerics attached to the basilica brings the relic forth from its place for the Holy Father to venerate.
And the Holy Father continues to greet representatives of the communities here.
The Cathedral of Notre Dame is located on the eastern end of the Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris. It's one of the world's most famous Gothic structures and one of Paris's most visited monuments. Under a 1905 French law, the separation of church and state, the building is the property of the French state, like all other cathedrals commissioned by the Kingdom of France. While its use is assigned to the Catholic Church, the cathedral has held the status of minor basilica since 1805. It has been a French historical monument since 1862 and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991.
Construction on the cathedral began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VI at the behest of Bishop Maurice de Sully, on a site previously occupied by a Gallo-Roman temple, a 6th-century Merovingian basilica, and a Romanesque church. Pope Alexander III came to lay the foundation stone of Notre Dame. And it was about a hundred years later that the work concluded with the completion of the western facade and the towers.
It was severely damaged and desecrated during the French Revolution. And it was oddly enough, especially due to the success of the novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo, published in 1831, that helped refocus public attention on the state of neglect that the church had fallen into. Eventually, the French government launched a major restoration program in 1844, entrusting the work to architects Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and Jean-Baptiste Lassus. The medieval structures of the church were restored, while new elements designed in the Gothic spirit were added, including the famous 19th-century spire. The result was a romantic interpretation of medieval architecture that played a decisive role in shaping the appearance of Notre Dame as it was known in the 21st century.
Since its foundation, the cathedral has been the site of major events of national significance. It was for this reason that King Louis IX, Saint Louis, chose Notre Dame in 1239, while awaiting the completion of Sainte-Chapelle, to house the relic of the crown of thorns, which the current Pope, Leo XIV, has just venerated. The arrangement was initially intended to be temporary, but it became permanent following the Concordat, the treaty between France and the Holy See of 1801.
The cathedral has also seen significant political events, including the first convocation of the Estates General by Philip the Fair in 1302, as well as the rehabilitation trial of Joan of Arc, Saint Joan of Arc, in 1456, and the coronation of Napoleon as Emperor of the French in 1804, in the presence of Pope Pius VII.
Again, in just a few moments, we'll have the praying of Vespers. As is usual with papal journeys, the Pope makes time for the clergy and religious of the nation and others who have come to celebrate a papal visit. And so we have a fair number of cardinals and bishops, you can see here, as well as priests, deacons. A number of deacons' wives are also present here, seminarians, and consecrated men and women, brothers and sisters. For those of you again watching on video, you can see that there's a large number of the faithful gathered outside of the basilica. Anytime the Pope visits a church, obviously there's a relatively limited space inside the actual church building. And so, as much as possible, they try to give people an opportunity also to see the Holy Father, usually taking part, usually by setting up some seating in the area immediately around the building.
As we await the beginning of Vespers, a few notes from earlier today. The Holy Father arrived this morning about 10:00 a.m. in Paris. On board the papal plane, speaking with journalists, Pope Leo spoke about the reasons for his visit to France. He said, 'I am above all traveling to France, as to anywhere else in the world, as a follower of Jesus Christ, wanting to proclaim peace. The peace of Christ throughout the world is a message which, at this time, as we all know, is particularly important.'
His first stop today, his first public address in France, was to authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps. Before that address, he had met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace for a private meeting. The Pope then addressed the civil authorities. He recalled his own French heritage and assured France of his prayers. He recalled, too, that France has served as a cultural, artistic, and spiritual beacon for Europe and the world for centuries. And he also noted the restoration of the Basilica of Notre Dame. He went on to say that France bears deep Christian roots, and the nation's soul draws from Christianity a rich spiritual, cultural, intellectual, artistic, and missionary heritage.
Later, the Holy Father went to UNESCO headquarters, which is located here in Paris. He called for education, science, and culture to remain at the service of human dignity, of truth, and of peace. This visit was the second of a pope to UNESCO headquarters. The site was visited 46 years ago, in 1980, by Pope Saint John Paul II. And he noted during his visit, Leo noted during his visit today, that the Holy See continues to view UNESCO as a privileged partner in the service of the common good. Particularly because authentic human development, he said, must concern the development of each man and of the whole man. And he reflected especially on a question that he said is asked and contemplated by every culture and every generation: What does it mean to be human? You can find full coverage of the Pope's speeches this morning, as well as his other addresses for this trip, on our website at www.vaticannews.va.
And the Holy Father has now been vested for Vespers. And the clergy taking part in the ceremony as ministers are processing with the Holy Father to the sanctuary.
And the Holy Father is greeted by the Archbishop of Paris.
