US President-elect Donald Trump will travel to Paris over the weekend to attend the re-opening of the historic Notre Dame Cathedral.
The 13th century cathedral, considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture, was destroyed in a fire on April 15, 2019.
It took five years to completely restore the historic building.
Trump wrote about it in his post on Truth Social: "It's an honor for me to say that I'm going up to Paris, France on Saturday to attend the re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral fully restored five years after the horrendous fire.
President Emmanuel Macron of France had managed very wonderfully to ensure that, within its full level of glory-and much more so-it has been restored," Trump said. "It's going to be a very special day for all!".
The reopening ceremonies will kick off on December 7 and 8, then an octave of events to December 15, with the two concerts of Jean-Sébastien Bach's Magnificat on December 17 and 18.
"This is a very big moment, eagerly awaited by the whole world," Olivier Josse, secretary general for the cathedral was quoted as saying by National Geographic.
The big relief of reopening matches tremendous anticipation, expressed by the wish to come and rediscover Notre Dame, he said.
"If I have to use just one word, it's 'patience'. Everyone will need to show patience," Josse said.
The reopening service, conducted in the late afternoon in the presence of Macron and Trump, officials, donors, representatives of all the parishes of Paris, members of the cathedral chapter, and the Parisian clergy will take place.".
During the ceremony, the Archbishop will knock on the closed door of Notre-Dame with his staff. The cathedral will "respond" by singing Psalm 121 three times.
The cathedral, silent all along, will again ring out in song of praise, and at the third time, the doors will open.
The inaugural Mass, with the consecration of the high altar, is to be celebrated on 8 December, at 10.30 am, presided over by the Archbishop of Paris.
At the invitation of Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world will participate in the celebration, along with one priest from each of the 106 parishes in the Diocese of Paris, and one priest from each of the seven Eastern Catholic Churches, accompanied by faithful from these communities.
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