AMAC Exclusive – By Shane Harris
![notre-dame](https://static-asset.amac.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/28062639/Notre-dame-cathedral.jpg)
On December 9, France’s National Heritage and Architecture Commission will vote on the proposed renovation plans for Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, which tragically caught fire in April 2019. The new vision for the “reimagined” interior of the church poses the greatest threat to the iconic landmark since the church was ransacked and desecrated during the French Revolution in the 1790s.
According to details first reported by the Telegraph, visitors to the new “reimagined” Notre Dame Cathedral, which French President Emmanuel Macron says he hopes will open in 2024, may have a far different experience from the millions who have visited in the 858 years since construction began in 1163. Gone would be the confessional boxes, altars, and classical sculptures (many of which were not damaged in the fire). Instead, curious tourists and pious French Catholics alike would be subjected to what one critic aptly described as “a politically correct Disneyland.”
While the exterior of the church is expected to remain largely the same, the interior is set to become a grotesque temple to wokeism and modern perversions of traditional Christian values – an apt symbol of the hollowing-out of religion generally in the West. The plans allegedly include multiple “themed” chapels with a focus on Africa and Asia, and sound and light effects projecting Bible verses onto walls in Mandarin. Notre Dame’s 14th chapel, traditionally reserved for images of Jesus being laid in the tomb, will instead be replaced with homages to environmentalism and warnings about climate change.
One source close to the restoration described the proposed changes as an “experimental showroom,” while Paris-based architect Maurice Culot said it would become “a theme park for foreign tourists.” While Christian themes and images adapted for all cultures and backgrounds are not at all a bad thing – the Gospel urges Christians to “go and make disciples of all nations” – critics have rightly pointed out that such modifications would ruin the austere and ancient beauty of the church that makes it unique among all the structures of the world.
Father Gilles Drouin, the director of the liturgical institute of Paris and the man in charge of the interior restoration, says the proposed changes would welcome visitors “who are not always from a Christian culture.” Such comments beg the question of whether the more than 10 million annual visitors to the church before the fire felt “unwelcome.” Did people travel from every corner of the world and hope to see a sort of “Christianity for Dummies” display that they could get on their smartphone with a quick Google search?
It’s not just about religion, either. For the French people, the Notre Dame Cathedral is a wood-and-limestone monument of sorts that connects centuries of French history. It was there in 1431 that Henry the VI of England was declared King of France during the 100 Years War – and there in 1909 that Joan of Arc, perhaps the greatest hero on the French side of the conflict, was beatified by Pope Pius X. It was also beneath Notre Dame’s towering spire that Napoleon was crowned emperor in 1804, and where, in 1970, world leaders gathered to mourn the death of the great French leader Charles de Gaulle, the man who galvanized resistance to Nazi rule during World War II.
When Notre Dame has sustained damage before, the restorations were undertaken with painstaking care to restore every detail as close as possible to the original. But now, the fire has become a convenient excuse to intentionally destroy all notions of French culture and nationhood that the Notre Dame Cathedral represents.
This crusade to break from tradition and abandon history – which was begun and continues to be driven by left-wing cultural elites – is not new. Americans saw a far more violent iteration of it last year when rioters tore down statues of some of the country’s greatest heroes like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant. Although undoubtedly far less reckless than left-wing extremists destroying monuments and setting fire to churches in the U.S., those French authorities claiming that the Notre Dame Cathedral needs an “evolution” are similarly bent on radical cultural change and indeed, a kind of desecration.
When the cathedral burned in 2019, the worldwide response was one of the few truly unifying events of the past decade or so. Christians and non-Christians alike from around the world wept for Notre Dame. People donated more than $900 million for the renovation efforts. They did not open their pocketbooks to turn the church into a globalist shrine to a world without borders and culture and history. They gave generously because they believed it would be restored as it was, a towering monument to faith and tradition. The French government – and the Catholic officials in charge of the church – should recognize that and preserve this great cultural treasure in all its original glory.
So…..arson, huh?
As I see it, the crypto currency is the beginning of the cashless society the Bible has told us about. And this type of change seems an attempt remove Jesus from the forefront of many lives. But this change is inevitable and we have been warned it would happen. I just do not appreciate those who want to usher it in.
The most good I can fathom from the disrespect this shows to Christianity is that God told us this would happen. That fact strengthens my faith.
As I see things of this nature I am driven forward to my Lord and Saviour, Jesus! I hope other believers do not see this as Christianity failing but look forward to where it will all end, Jesus’ return!
The interior designers need to be fired. Put Notre Dame back to its original and if there are people that don’t like it, tell them to stay away. I thought this WOKEness was only in the USA but it seems like it has flowed everywhere. This has gone too far stand up and defend, and if it offends SO BE IT
Look just put a little auditorium inside the front doors for tourists and leave one side chapel for the two or three practicing Catholics who live on the island. The rest can be artist studios homeless shelters. Oh! We could even put in a minaret just a bit taller than the old steeple. One with those giant loud speakers! It won’t bother the bells since they are at the other end. While we’re on the bells one of the towers could be traditional and the other could indeed be Disney themed (remember them movie). Handicap accessible of course, elevator up and a ride down like the NYNY in Las Vegas.
Or it could remain the Catholic center of French life for which it has long been revered and visited by French Catholics, pilgrims of many persuasion and secularists alike.
I can’t imagine Notre Dame being rebuilt as a tourist trap. I’m picturing lots of noisy little shops lined up outside the door hawking stupid tacky stuff with a cross in the center, no doubt made in China. Mon dieu! What an awful thing to do to a magnificent building that has been revered through many centuries.
The so-called ‘woke’ are nothing more than a bunch of spoiled, self-centered, short-sighted, dimwitted loudmouths. Giving into their whims is like giving treats to a 2-year-old in the throes of a tantrum to shut him up.
I hope President Macron won’t cave to these idiots. He must do the right thing to maintain tradition and architectural integrity by rebuilding it as it appeared centuries ago. Update where wise to prevent such a catastrophe from happening again. Those who donated to rebuild the church should ask for their money back. I’m not a religious person, but I know blasphemy when I see it.
What a crying shame to read these bad ideas!!! What is wrong with preserving our history!!!! Is this really the Communists infiltrating our culture’s to destroy our history
Why is our lazy Pope not intervening in this proposed nonsense and demanding that the cathedral be restored to what it EXACTLY what it was before the fire!! To hell with this “politically correct” crap!
As a Catholic, I’m kind of disgusted with this Pope’s inaction, not only on this topic but on the question of abortion as well. It’s out and out murder but he refuses to really and staunchly address the issue!
Please! do not let “wokeism” ruin this Cathedral which is a monument to the French people and our catholic faith. We MUST stand up against this woke movement and not let the radical left consume our nation and world. And where is the Pope? Jesus threw out the money changers from the temple so why let them back in?
The “Vatican” needs to step up and read these communist clowns the ‘riot act.’
With THIS papacy one can only “hope & pray.” Yes, this is the faith of my birth.
lf that’s what they want to do to it, then I wish it had burned to the ground.
Progressives don’t believe in God, only themselves. Total waste of time and money to repair Norte Dame with them in mind.
Disgusting plans for a renovation of historic HOLY place! Evil forces are at play here.
Confessionals belong as an instrument for one of the sacraments guaranteed by Baptism.
Tradition is the strength of Religion. Pandering is not!!!
At first I thought “unbelievable” and then I remembered who is trying to do this. I am not Catholic and have been to Notre Dame a few times. I never felt unwelcome or offended because it is Catholic. It is like if I went to to the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and was offended it was Islamic. If I was I have no business going. Any sane person would understand this. When will this utter stupidity end?
this Church is dedicated to the Blessed Mother of the Son of GOD and this will not turn out at all for those involved. when they had satanic mass during the French Revolution, all those people are rotting in hell now and had a bad life.
This is beyond perversion I hope it will be boycoted
I can’t believe that the French people would go along with this absurd idea. The church should be restored to its former state. If it is turned into a generic museum of religions then it loses its impact as one of the world’s greatest monuments. I hope the French are not that stupid.
I’m not Catholic,and dont give 2 cents for N?Dame. Sounds like it’s gonna be a Disney Land. Asany Catholics as they are,why cant they step up and say no. What they want to do is disgusting. Kyle L.
As a Catholic this is a disgrace to memories of those masons who built Notre Dame in the first place. If they are so bent on multi-faith theme park, why not build it at Disney World Paris.
The $900 million generously donated was not intended to be used to create a Euro Disney II. The ongoing whitewash of our monuments needs to come to an end, if we’re going to save what history remains. The people of France & the remainder of the world had better wake up soon before it’s too late. Vive la France!
So painful to read; am imagining our G-D striking down this planned abomination.
Previous restorations were made to restore Notre Dame with a goal of keeping things as they were and should always be.
Woke Cathedrals, political POPE(a leftist Globalist) Goddess Family, BLM, ANTIFA, MANDATES, Supply chain disaster, Constant lies about EVERYTHING! MARXIST movements with evil intentions. Only WE THE PEOPLE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD can stop these thieving, sabotaging, elites!
Just another victim of the liberals/socialists of the world. Scary.
This is absolute insanity!!
Global governance by the retarded ‘elites’ of the world that eschew goodness, tradition, and sanctity.
Yes. Let’s allow more Leftist lunatics more power. They invariably do such a great job with it.
Horrifyingly shameful.
Another win for socialism ! Yes dough heads this IS political and another step towards abolishing all religions. Wokeisim is the New Socialist( Marxist )Religion, no other religion will be tolerated. Pretty soon the USA will join the ranks of peasants without any rights at all. Rome should recall that socialist Pope and get politics out of religion.
OMG People ! Vote Republican!!
I saw the beautiful Notre Dame on vacation two weeks before the tragedy. I was mesmerized over the beauty and the splendor of this beautiful church. We were so blessed to be there when an a cappella choir was singing and the music could be heard throughout the beautiful sanctuary. I cannot imagine that France National Heritage society would even consider making these changes. The Notre Dame needs to be constructed back just like it was before the horrific fire and nothing needs to be added or taken away. I was there a month ago and could have cried when I saw the damage that the fire had done. This will take many years to bring her back to her splendor.