A dramatic history

people regard Piaf’s song as a metaphor for herself…both had a complex history as well as a treasured legacy.

On April 15, 2019, an electrical short circuit likely sparked a blaze that threatened to burn the 850-year-old cathedral to the ground. Following a strict protocol developed for just such a disaster, firefighters knew exactly which works of art to rescue and in which order.

Since the devastating fire, restoration work has been nonstop and reconstruction began in 2021. A Te Deum* is planned for April 15, 2024,

*The Te Deum had a powerful and remedial effect on people during the medieval era. It was believed that people were cured of terminal diseases during the singing of the hymn, while others regained their sight on hearing it. Some were said to have been arisen or awakened from the dead as the hymn was sung.