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Heart and Soul: Rebuilding Notre Dame

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Rebuilding Notre Dame

05/07/2019 GMT

BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Rebuilding Notre Dame

The Notre Dame fire has re-awakened France's Christian faith

The sight of Notre Dame cathedral in flames fire has re-awakened the Christian faith for many people in France.

In the hours after the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, French President Macron said France would rebuild Notre Dame to be “more beautiful than ever".
 
In the days that followed, some of Frances wealthiest people promised millions of Euros to ensure that actually happened.
 
But the fire has awoken this country. Even some atheists have suddenly realised what this means to its Christian heritage. The French word is ‘patrimoine’ from ‘patres’ – fathers and ‘monere’ memory, the memory of our fathers.
 
The fire at Notre Dame shook France, but does the desire to restore it show a new affinity with religion or a chance for the country to restore some civic pride? John asks whether this has been a wake-up call for France’s church and new hope for a revival of the "faith of our fathers".

Produced and Presented by John Laurenson
Photo: Tourists taking pictures and selfies at Notre Dame Cathedral 
Credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images.

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