8 Takeaways from the Notre Dame fire and its aftermath
In the wake of the devastating fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, insightful reporting of the event and reflections of its significance could be found across Twitter a day after the catastrophic blaze.
Below are eight perspectives that stood out to us:
The inferno
In an article published by The Atlantic, Rachel Donadio provides perspective of how Notre Dame survived eight centuries of plague, war, revolution, and even the Nazis. It was a fire that started near the roof — and streamed live across social media — that destroyed part of the edifice. Her perspective is thought-provoking and puts the fire in historical perspective.
The facade and towers are still standing, and President Macron pledged that France would rebuild the cathedral. Here's my postcard from yesterday about the fire at Notre Dame—built in the Gothic era, destroyed in the social-media era.
— Rachel Donadio (@RachelDonadio) April 16, 2019
https://t.co/Az8cxgYAkT
The heroes
In this piece in the Washington Post, James McAuley continues his reporting on the fire, focusing on the men and women who battled the blaze and giving a timeline of events as they unfolded.
Soul of a nation
In this piece, the New York Times reports on how Notre Dame bears a special place because of its combination of the secular, the sacred and the profane and how the fire exposes the current state of religion in France.
Parisian perspective
In this Washington Post piece, correspondent James McAuley takes a look inside of the hearts and minds of Parisians as they watch their beloved cathedral burn before their eyes..
The Global church
Writing in National Review, David French reports on the significance of the fire for the church worldwide.
Literary significance
Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” is credited for saving the Cathedral in the 1800’s when the building was in a state of disrepair and unpopular with Parisians. In this article, Vox highlights passages of the novel and a perspective on how the piece of literature is relevant today.
From the chime in the spire, over the intersection of the aisles and nave, to the great bell of the front, he cherished a tenderness for them all. The central spire and the two towers were to him as three great cages, whose birds, reared by himself, sang for him alone.
- Hunchback of Notre Dame
Rebuilding
In this article, Wired reports on the laser scans that exist of the cathedral and how they could provide precise instructions on to restore or rebuild.
The future
Axios has done a great job reporting on the fire. This piece highlights the individuals and organizations who have pledged to help rebuild.