But over the past 12 months, the world has changed. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, people cannot come together to show the strength they did as the church burned before their eyes.
There were tributes planned, but are now canceled as France battles COVID-19.
Still, despite the silence instead of a choir filling a planned ceremony with song and hope, French President Emmanuel Macron addressed his nation with a video message in which he said, according to The New York Times, "Our days, our thoughts, our lives today are monopolized by this terrible crisis that we are going through." Macron thanked "those who yesterday saved" Notre Dame and "those who today are rebuilding."
Credit: Christophe Ena/AP
Credit: Christophe Ena/AP
Repairs to the fire-damaged church were stopped last month when the country shut down, CNN reported. The church has been closed to visitors since last year, with only two religious services being held inside the building.
More than 17,000 people have died in France since the coronavirus outbreak, the Times reported.
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