The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Notre Dame Cathedral

  • Notre Dame

    Global reactions to the fire that engulfed the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, on April 15, brought back nostalgic memories of my Higher School Certificate (HSC) days at the Federal School of Arts and Science, Ondo; the one we proudly refer to as FSASON. It was there I began to get attracted to France as a country, when studying European History. My most fascinating aspect of the history of France was the French Revolution of 1789, the one that Peacock describes as “one of the greatest events in human history.” For sure, Nigeria, nay Africa, was not in Peacock’s reckoning when he made that assertion. I remember how I was always attempting to put myself in the picture as if I was there during the revolution when reading Peacock. I must confess though, that Peacock was my favourite author when the issue was the French revolution. The other textbook, Europe since Napoleon by Thompson which also treated the topic extensively, was my distant second textbook.

    But that is not where I am going today.

    I have always known France for its fashion splendour. Indeed, in those days we were told that ‘an old style in Paris is a new style in London’; to drive home the point that France is noted for fashion, whether in dress terms, or architectural designs. France is also home to choice exotic wines; I picture it in my mind as a place of plenty enjoyment. Wikipedia seems to corroborate all of these thus: “France, in Western Europe, encompasses medieval cities, alpine villages and Mediterranean beaches. Paris, its capital, is famed for its fashion houses, classical art museums including the Louvre and monuments like the Eiffel Tower. The country is also renowned for its wines and sophisticated cuisine. Lascaux’s ancient cave drawings, Lyon’s Roman theater and the vast Palace of Versailles attest to its rich history.”

    But, in spite of all these, the country still found time to build an architectural masterpiece that Notre Dame is, a structure that has become an institution in its own right, such that the world cannot but notice and indeed be involved in restoring the burnt Cathedral beyond its pre-April 15 state.  Indeed, from news flying around, the fire, in confirmation of a proverb in the western part of this country, ‘ile oba to jo, ewa lo bu si’ (a king’s palace that got burnt can only give room to a better edifice) is going to get even better by the time reconstruction is completed. This, if French President Emmanuel Macron’s wish is anything to go by, will be in about five year’s time.

    The fact that France, which is not poor by any standard, makes a lot of money from tourists to the cathedral is something that Nigeria can learn from. Imagine what about 12-14 million tourists would translate to in monetary terms for France? Ours is a country that relies on a monocultural commodity, the price of which depends on the vagaries of the volatile international oil market. Yet, we have many tourist attractions that can spin a lot of foreign exchange for the country, but we either fail to maximise the potential or simply look the other way while such tourist sites get overgrown with weeds and are occupied by reptiles or other animals. At best, government officials make pious statements of commitment to diversifying the economy, using tourism as example.

    Moreover, so far, no one has made any attempt to politicise the issue. In our clime, all manner of insinuations and even unsubstantiated claims would have been made about the involvement of some political enemies being responsible for the inferno.

    Above all, however, the global reaction to Notre Dame fire incident has demonstrated that indeed, there could be one world where creed or colour would count for nothing. Indeed, Nigeria has a lot to learn from this common humanity. The fire incident, which occurred on the second day of the Passion Week (Holy Week as it is now commonly called), that is the week preceding Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, has united the world in such a confounding manner. Will there ever come such a time when Nigeria can be so united, without attempts to differentiate on religious, political or ethnic grounds? I would be glad to witness that in my lifetime.

    Maybe the world has reacted to the Notre Dame incident because they felt the same way I always felt in my HSC days whenever it was time for French history; particularly the aspect dealing with the French Revolution. May be not. But for us to have a sense of all that the Notre Dame is associated with – religion, religious, political, historical and socio-cultural values, we must not allow an individual to get away with the kind of blue murder that President Olusegun Obasanjo committed by banning history. We need an astute sense of history to appreciate such inestimable values.

    Even if we regard the inferno as Afghastanism ( something happening far away), we cannot lose sight of its proximity to us and the unity it has fostered around the globe, especially in a world that has become a global village.

     

    A tale of two ghosts

    It is not all the time that I have the opportunity of sharing messages on the social platform. But, I found this not only hilarious but one from which we can pick one or two lessons.

     

    Ghost 1: Hey

    Ghost 2: Hey

     

    Ghost 1:

    How did you die? ?

     

    Ghost 2:

    I was mistakenly locked up in a refrigerator. At first, I was chilling, then, I started freezing, and then, I couldn’t breathe again… I died of suffocation.

     

    Ghost 1:

    Wow…. what a sad way to die.

     

    Ghost 2:

    Yeah. And you, how did you die?

     

    Ghost 1:

    I died of heart attack.

     

    Ghost 2:

    What happened? How?

     

    Ghost 1:

    My wife cheated on me. I came back home and saw a man’s pair of shoes. Then, I rushed to the bedroom and met only my wife there. She was naked. I knew there was a man in the house because my neighbour told me. And the man was still in the house as my wife was undressed and scared. So, I started running and searching the whole house. I searched in the kid’s room, kitchen, toilet, bathroom, wardrobe and dinning. I couldn’t find him and I was very tired of running, so I got a heart attack.

     

    Ghost 2:

    IDIOT!!!! If only you had checked the refrigerator we would both be alive by now!

     

    Have a wonderful Easter Sunday

     

  • Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral

    For the first time in many years, the attention of the global community in a Holy Week has shifted from activities at the Vatican to the city of Paris where fire broke out beneath the roof of the very famous Notre Dame Cathedral on April 15. Given the significance and history behind the building, the world attention and mournful ambience are rooted in the value attached to its existence and the legendary growth in its religious, political and social relevance, not only to France but Europe as a whole, and in a globalised world, all other continents.

    Notre-Dame de Paris literally translates to ‘Our Lady of Paris’ whose history is rooted in the tradition of Catholicism as the Cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, to whom the Catholics show a lot of reverence and honour. The building marks in a way the shift in spiritual obeisance from the ancient times as history has it that the building was a replacement of the Gallo-Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter before the advent of Christianity. Interestingly, the building was started in the 12th Century and took two years to complete.

    The over 800- year-old building stood as a pride and symbol of France in addition to the Eifel Tower. With an average of 30,000 tourists daily, and almost 13 million tourists a year, it qualifies as one of the most visited sites in the world and obviously contributes to France’s economy.

    The Gothic history, the architectural marvel, housing most of priceless artworks and relics, including Christ’s Crown of thorns contribute to the treasure that the Cathedral had become not only to France and the Catholic Church but also the entire world. With tourism, education and business almost getting inseparable, the structure seemingly has over the centuries emerged a unifier of some sorts. In architectural history, it stands as a great inspiration to that sector as it is the first building in the world to use flying buttress. The sheer size, creativity and antiquity of Notre-Dame is second to none.

    Not too many world sites have been so inclusive of the spiritual, religious, political, historical and socio-cultural values that the cathedral has been for over eight centuries. It is therefore commendable that France as a country has over the centuries worked very hard at preserving its essence. It has been a work in progress as the living work hard enough to bequeath a strong and well-maintained cathedral to the next generation.

    The global mournful ambience and outpour of solidarity and donations for rebuilding symbolises unity and peace over the years. Notre-Dame stands on the admirable Catholic principles of peace and community spirit, supported by governments in France in commendable marriage of state and religion. There is an effortless embrace of humanity as a whole without recourse to the divisive tendencies of politicians or religious leaders to coerce or discriminate against any creed.

    We acknowledge very admirably the reaction of the French government, the Catholic Church and all citizens at the display of restraint by not resorting to any precipitate conspiracy theories that has no professional investigative backing. In a world where most politicians tend to whip up divisive and flawed populist emotions, it would have been easy to jump the gun but President Emmanuel Macron showed leadership just like the Prime Minister of New Zealand at the wake of the Mosque shootings few weeks ago.

    The immediate response with donations from European, other countries and even from individuals across the globe is testament to the value people attach to the Notre-Dame and its global impact, even beyond the historical legacy it bears proudly. The building has been owned literally by the whole of Europe and the West as a continental treasure and symbol of Western civilisation and communal brotherhood.

    For Africa, and especially Nigeria, Notre-Dame, this fire incident, reactions and global attention and reactions must be food for thought. Most secular states do not let religion bring division. Monuments are supposed to be national treasures that ought to be preserved across generations. A country like Nigeria that at a time banned the study of history in schools is merely ruining the coming generations that would or might rely on others for their own history.

    As a nation of fascinating pasts, we cannot boast of any magnificent relic or a yearning for it. We show no nostalgia for our heroes nor dredge up any unknown facts to illumine our memory. The Biafra monument in Umuahia is more of a mockery than a remembrance. Our rich cannot envy the same rich abroad who have rallied over a billion dollars for Notre Dame.

    The lack of proper planning in most sectors impacts negatively on the preservation of monuments and their historical, socio-cultural and economic values, and generations of their sense of history. Like a popular idiom goes, Nigerian governments at all levels must begin to plant trees that they might never be alive to enjoy their fruits or shade. Macron is barely 40 but the world can see his passion that he even wants the building rebuilt in five years and more beautiful than before. That is leadership and it has pushed the rich in France and donors around the world to be part of history because history will always remember and be there for generations.

  • Notre Dame Cathedral ‘saved from total destruction’

    THE 850-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, was last night saved from “total destruction,” a French fire official said after a massive fire ripped through the structure and caused the roof to collapse.

    Residents living close to the historical monument were evacuated in case the building would collapse, said Paris Mayor Anne Hildago.

    One fireman was “seriously injured,” according to the official.

    Firefighters at the scene said all efforts were being directed towards saving the artwork stored at the back of the cathedral, which had been undergoing renovations and preventing the collapse of its northern tower.

    Flames that began at 5.50pm burst rapidly through the roof of the 850-year-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof.

    A huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area. Parisians watching from the other side of the River Seine gasped as the spire folded over onto itself and fell into the inferno.

    President Emmanuel Macron said the whole nation was moved. “Like all our compatriots, I am sad this evening to see this part of all of us burn,” he tweeted.

    At around 1930 GMT, nearly three hours after the fire started, a Fire Department spokesman said the next 90 minutes would be crucial in seeing if the blaze could be contained.

    “Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” said witness Jacek Poltorak, watching the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral, one of France’s most visited sites.

    As of yesterday, the spire of the cathedral had fallen, and the fire had spread to one of its iconic rectangular towers. A French Interior Ministry official had previously said firefighters may not be able to save the cathedral.

    The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had launched an inquiry into the fire. France 2 television reported that police were treating it as an accident.

    “Everything is collapsing,” a police officer near the scene said as the cathedral continued to burn.

    Macron, who cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give yesterday evening, went to the scene of the blaze and talked to officials trying to contain it.

    The French Civil Security service, possibly responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that firefighters “act quickly” and employ flying water tankers, said that was not an option as it might destroy the entire building.

    “Helicopter or plane, the weight of the water and the intensity of dropping it at low altitude could weaken the structure of Notre-Dame and cause collateral damage to surrounding buildings,” it tweeted.

    World leaders sent messages of support yesterday.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May said their thoughts were with the French people. Merkel called the cathedral a “symbol of France and our European culture”.

    The Vatican said the blaze had caused “shock and sadness” and said it was praying for the firefighters.

    The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, features in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of tourists every year.

    It is a focal point for French Roman Catholics who like Christians around the world are celebrating Holy Week, marking the death and resurrection of Jesus.

    The archbishop of Paris called on all priests in Paris to ring church bells as a gesture of solidarity for Notre-Dame.

    “I have a lot of friends who live abroad and every time they come I tell them to go to Notre-Dame,” said witness Samantha Silva, with tears in her eyes.

    “I’ve visited it so many times, but it will never be the same. It’s a real symbol of Paris.”

    The cathedral was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, and bronze statues were removed last week for works.

    Built over a century starting in 1163, Notre-Dame is considered to be among the finest examples of French Gothic cathedral architecture.

    It is renowned for its rib vaulting, flying buttresses and stunning stained glass windows, as well as its many carved stone gargoyles.

    Its 100-metre-long (330-foot) roof, of which a large section was consumed in the first hour of the blaze, was one of the oldest such structures in Paris, according to the cathedral’s website.

    “There are a lot of art works inside … it’s a real tragedy,” Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters at the scene.

    A centre of Roman Catholic faith, over the centuries Notre-Dame has also been a target of political upheaval.

    It was ransacked by rioting Protestant Huguenots in the 16th century, pillaged again during the French Revolution of the 1790s and left in a state of semi-neglect. Hugo’s 1831 work led to revived interest in the cathedral and a major – partly botched – restoration that began in 1844.

    The wood-and-lead spire was built during that restoration, according to the cathedral’s website.

    UNESCO said in a tweet it was “closely monitoring the situation and is standing by France’s side to safeguard and restore this invaluable heritage”.

  • Breaking: Fire breaks out at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

    A massive fire broke out at Notre Dame Cathedral in central Paris on Monday afternoon, sending flames shooting out of the roof of the iconic building. Smoke could be seen billowing from miles away.

    Fire officials told Agence France-Press that the fire was potentially linked to the renovation of the building and is believed to have started in the attic.

    Dramatic images posted to social media showed the roof of the medieval cathedral engulfed in flames.

    Details shortly…