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<p>A wrought copper statue of a rooster that sat atop Notre-Dame has been found "battered" in the debris of the Paris cathedral following its devastating fire, France's culture ministry said.</p> <p>The statue is considered all the more important because it contains three holy relics -- including a fragment of the Crown of Thorns believed by Christians to have been worn by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion, placed there to protect Parisians.</p>

The 37-year-old Indiana mayor — a graduate of Harvard and Oxford universities, Rhodes Scholar, Afghanistan veteran and musician — sent social media ablaze Monday night when he delivered a touching message to the people of France in the wake of the Notre Dame blaze — in fluent French. English and French are just two of seven languages that Buttigieg speaks. “To the people of France, I would like to say that Notre Dame cathedral was like a gift to the human species,” the Democrat told a reporter from the French station BFM TV at a fundraiser in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “We...

One of Christendom’s greatest and oldest sanctuaries has suffered great damage but largely survived. According to whom you read, its devastation is a metaphor for European Christianity’s collapse or for its rebirth through fire. The mass horror over Notre Dame’s fire, and the immediate resolve for the cathedral’s full restoration, signify that France’s connection to Catholicism is not so remote as often imagined, True, it was a national political and cultural symbol. But it was chiefly an active church where the Eucharist is celebrated daily and whose architecture honors saints, Apostles and prophets. Neither France nor Europe nor the West...

The chaplain to the Parisian fire brigade has been hailed as a hero after it was revealed he led efforts to save the priceless holy relics and art stored inside Notre-Dame Cathedral. The story of Father Jean-Marc Fournier was reported by Christian journalist of French Catholic Television station KTOTV, who revealed the chaplain went into the burning cathedral to retrieve relics and art before they could be damaged by fire and falling debris. Reports state the priest formed a human chain to carry the items away from danger. Following up that report, the Katholiek Nieuwsblad states Fr. Fournier has a...

As the fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was finally extinguished, pictures emerged showing the devastation the building experienced. The sky is visible through the roof where the spire once stood, but there is hope that much of the medieval architecture can be saved. One of the colourful rose windows appears to be largely unharmed after valiant efforts aby firefighters. Just under 400 firefighters tackled the historic blaze through the night, battling to stop it wreaking complete destruction of the treasured facade after flames torched the roof, sending its spire crashing to the ground before crowds of horrified...

PARIS—An alarm was raised at Notre Dame at 6:20 p.m. on Monday night—23 minutes before the structure was engulfed in flames—but officials found no sign of a fire. Firefighters who responded to a second alert raced to the scene but were unable to tame an inferno that ripped through the 12th century cathedral for the next 9 hours.

Julien Le Bras had vowed that his building firm would 'not put the building at risk' when it won the contract He said 'there is no question that we will put any pressure' on the spire of the cathedral - which fell last night French investigators are now probing the renovation work as they examine the causes of Monday's huge fire ============================================================================ A young construction boss boasted about his firm's ability to protect historic sites when it won a contract to repair the spire of Notre Dame, MailOnline can reveal. Julien Le Bras declared last year: 'Our first thought is...

Investigators are treating the fire that engulfed Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral as an accident for now, the local prosecutor's office said Monday evening. Paris police will investigate the disaster as "involuntary destruction caused by fire" and have ruled out arson and potential terror-related motives for starting the blaze, officials said.

Several of France's wealthiest families are pledging millions to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after Monday's devastating fire. So far, the totals from four major donors already exceed $500 million. Bernard Arnault, one of the world's richest men, is donating 200 million euros to fund the reconstruction of Notre Dame – that's about $226 million. Arnault and his family announced the donation via their company's Twitter account. Arnault is the head of LVMH, a massive company with 70 worldwide brands under its umbrella, including Louis Vuitton, Sephora and Marc Jacobs. With a net worth of more than $90 billion, Arnault...

Jihadis celebrated the destruction of large parts of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in a devastating fire on April 15, 2019. Reactions by jihadis on social media refer to the cathedral as a symbol of Christianity and a major point of origin for the Crusades. Several describe the fire as punishment for various crimes attributed to France or to Christians in general, such as France's military intervention in Muslim countries or the mosque massacres in New Zealand. Some jihadis, including leading figures, view the incident as a good omen heralding calamities for the West and the global order. The...

French companies including LÂ’Oreal, LVMH and Kering have pledged millions of euros to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after it was severely damaged in a fire Monday night. LVMH added that it would give France access to its creative, architectural and financial experts to assist in the reconstruction. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple tweeted on Tuesday morning that the company will be donating to the rebuilding efforts to help restore Notre Dame as well. ================================================================================== French companies including LÂ’Oreal and luxury groups LVMH and Kering have pledged millions of euros to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris...

Fox News’ Neil Cavuto hung up on Catholic League president Bill Donohue on Monday when he refused to stop speculating that the catastrophic Notre Dame fire could be related to other recent attacks on Catholic churches in Paris. “Well, Neil, if it is an accident, it’s a monumental tragedy. But forgive me for being suspicious. Just last month, a 17th-century church was set on fire in Paris. We’ve seen tabernacles knocked down, crosses have been torn down, statues, —” Donohue stated. As Donohue mentioned, a number of churches in France have been vandalized during the early part of 2019. Vandals...

London -- The massive fire that engulfed Notre Dame cathedral in Paris caused devastating damage to the structure, destroying its iconic spire and reducing its ancient wooden roof to ash. But Tuesday morning, as the sun rose over the city, much of the church's medieval stonework was still standing, and many people began to think about rebuilding.

Texas leaders are sharing their thoughts and condolences about the fire that has engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The fire began around 7:30 p.m. GMT+2 and raged out of control for more than 15 to 20 minutes and took down the iconic spire, which had been undergoing renovation.

Islamic State jihadis cheer destruction of Notre Dame cathedral as “retribution and punishment” Notably, they didn’t claim responsibility. Contrary to media myth, the Islamic State does not have a record of claiming responsibility for jihad attacks in which it was not involved. But they’re cheering nonetheless: “It’s time to say goodbye to your oratory polytheism.” The bemused pursuers of “Muslim-Christian dialogue” may find this puzzling, thinking that Muslims recognize Christians as fellow monotheists, and will dismiss it as “extremism.” However, the Qur’an itself, which any Christian involved in “interfaith dialogue” should read and study, but which none will, is quite...

The massive inferno that engulfed Paris’ Notre Dame cathedral left in its wake a blackened shell of a historic monument that survived nearly 900 years of tumultuous French history. The cathedral – immortalized in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” – was undergoing a massive $6.8 million renovation project when the blaze broke out. It was an effort to turn back the clock on centuries of neglect of the beloved monument. One heritage expert said the destruction of this magnitude was “bound to happen” sooner or later. "The lack of real upkeep and daily attention to such...

France has seen a spate of attacks against Catholic churches since the start of the year, vandalism that has included arson and desecration. Vandals have smashed statues, knocked down tabernacles, scattered or destroyed the Eucharist and torn down crosses, sparking fears of a rise in anti-Catholic sentiment in the country. Last Sunday, the historic Church of St. Sulpice in Paris was set on fire just after midday mass on Sunday, Le Parisien reported, although no one was injured. Police are still investigating the attack, which firefighters have confidently attributed to arson. Last month, at the St. Nicholas Catholic Church in...

by Sheri Urban Monday's horrific fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris shocked viewers everywhere, as they witnessed the horrific destruction and collapse of its iconic spire, before firefighters were able to get it under control. While many prominent figures tweeted concern for the cathedral sacred to over a billion Catholics across the globe, controversial Muslim Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) put out a bizarre tweet that rubbed many the wrong way. "Art and architecture have a unique ability to help us connect across our differences and bring people together in important ways," posted Rep. Omar. "Thinking of the...

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.” ― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables Did you sense it? As the fire raged did you feel something beyond the destruction of the great cathedral? Did it feel as if something vital, some part of you was being slowly consumed as well? What we lost today is one of the great embodiments of Western civilization. It is impossible to overstate what this means. It will take some time to absorb. Notre Dame de Paris is at the heart of France’s identity. All distances in France are measured from kilometre...

A Notre Dame cathedral priest has claimed that all precious artefacts and artwork have been saved from the historic building. In a tweet, French journalist Nicolas Delesalle cited Père Frédéric, writing: "Good news: all the works of art were saved. The treasure of the Cathedral is intact, the Crown of thorns, the Holy sacraments." The fire, which has destroyed destroyed large sections of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, has spread to one of the cathedral's landmark rectangular towers, according to Bloomberg. The historic building's spire and roof have already collapsed. No casualties have been reported as of yet. The...