Notre Dame

France Approves Controversial Notre-Dame Renovations; Conservatives Call it "Politically Correct"

Father Gilles Drouin argues that “the cathedral has always been open to art from the contemporary period."

Notre Dame: The Soul of France (Review)

by Jeff Roquen

Agnès Poirier's book describes the central place of the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris in the city and in French history both religious and secular, and the angst provoked by its threatened destruction by fire in 2019.

Notre Dame’s President Went Unmasked at White House, Then Tested Positive. Now He’s Under Fire

Student Ashton Weber recently helped create a petition, signed by more than 200 undergraduates, calling for Jenkins to resign because of his repeated failures to follow the public-safety precautions expected of students. 

We’re Reopening Notre Dame. It’s Worth the Risk.

by John I. Jenkins

The President of the University of Notre Dame argues that the university's mission is a higher good that requires informed and cautious embrace of risk. 

The battle for Notre Dame

by Philip Kennicott and Aaron Steckelberg

As the cathedral rises from the ashes, a tug of war over its transformation and history. 

The Notre-Dame Fire and Digital Preservation

by Deirdre Ryan

We have the technology in hand to preserve what is most precious to our past. Our challenge is to make this a priority. 

Why you don’t need to be French or Catholic to mourn the Notre Dame fire

by Kisha G. Tracy

The cathedral is an important part of our shared cultural heritage.

The story behind the towering Notre Dame spire and the 30-year-old architect commissioned to rebuild it

Less than a week before fire tore through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, a repair crew brought down religious statues for the first time in more than a century. 

A history of great cathedrals that have been lost to fire and war

Notre Dame is one in a long line of cathedrals that have been ravaged by fire or war.

Notre Dame was in ruins. Victor Hugo’s novel about a hunchback saved it.

France has rebuilt its iconic cathedral before.

Art Historian Caroline Bruzelius Discusses The History Of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with art historian Caroline Bruzelius about the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which caught on fire Monday.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral Was Nearly Destroyed By French Revolutionary Mobs

In the 1790s, anti-Christian forces all but tore down one of France’s most powerful symbols.

Notre Dame Cathedral Is Crumbling. Who Will Help Save It?

The repairs will be expensive and it's not at all clear who is prepared to foot the bill. Under France's strict secular laws, the government owns the cathedral, and the Catholic archdiocese of Paris uses it permanently for free.

Mystery at Notre Dame: A priest-historian has been forced to back off a project promoting authentic Catholic education

Former history department chair Bill Miscamble says he can’t say why had to abandon a website he backed.

Notre Dame Professor criticizes school president's pro-gay policy

In face of university's "secularist project," Father Miscamble advises go straight to the top.

Topless protest at church after historian's suicide

A Femen activist protested in Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral on Wednesday, one day after far-right historian Dominique Venner committed suicide inside. Venner shot himself at the altar in front of around 1,500 visitors.Venner condemned both same-sex marriage and Islamist influence in France in writings before his death.The now infamous topless protesters released the following statement along with photographs:"Just right now FEMEN's angel of Death held a mono-protest on the altar of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in the same place of yesterday's suicide of fascist activist....

Far-right historian commits suicide In Notre Dame cathedral

Dominique Venner, a well-known French historian who embraced and wrote about ultra-conservative causes for decades, committed suicide today in front of the alter at Notre Dame Cathedral. He had left a post on his blog decrying the legalization of same sex marriage in France. "An infamous law ... can always be repealed," he wrote. "It will require new, spectacular and symbolic actions to rouse people from their complacency."...

Christians have persecution complex, Candida Moss says

A historian claims that many stories about the persecution of early Christians were invented or exaggerated to further the religion. Candida Moss, a professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of Notre Dame maintains Christianity is so laden with such tales that it has given rise to a myth of persecution among modern believers. A Catholic, Moss expects her claims to be the source of irritation to the faithful - but that they're missing the point.Moss, from South Bend, Indiana, claims only a handful of martyrdom stories ever actually occurred and there was no widespread Roman persecution. The stories were largely invented to inspire loyalty among the masses.Moss says that modern Christians to drop the victim complex inherited from them. "Christians were never the victims of sustained, targeted persecution. The idea of the persecuted church is almost entirely the invention of the 4th century and later," she adds....

New Notre Dame bells make harmonious history in Paris’ storied Cathedral

PARIS — The cathedral of Notre Dame — French for “our lady” — has finally got the prima donna worthy of its name.Weighing in at six and a half tons or 6,000 kilograms of glistening bronze, this lady is no ordinary person: she’s a bell named Mary.Mary is in fact the largest — and loudest — of nine new, gargantuan Notre Dame bells being blessed Saturday in the cathedral’s nave by Archbishop Andre Armand Vingt-Trois....