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The Notre Dame cathedral in Paris , which went up in flames on Monday and suffered severe damage, holds all sorts of relics and art pieces revered by Catholics from all over the world.
The cathedral is one of Paris’s most popular landmarks, welcoming more than 13 million visitors a year , and no doubt features in the photo albums of just about anyone who has taken snapshots in the French capital. Gone, now, is the 91 meter (300 foot) spire that has stood atop it since the mid-1800s.
“ Blessée, mais vivante ,” tweeted Henrik Enderlein, the director of the Jacques Delors Institute , alongside pictures of the shattered shell of the gothic masterpiece that sits at the heart of Paris. “Wounded, but alive.”
After a night during which more than 400 firefighters toiled for 15 hours to quell a blaze that tore through the 12th century cathedral , Parisians and visitors were struggling to absorb the enormity of the disaster.
Within this iconic temple lies a chapel dedicated to the patron saint of Mexico, Our Lady of Guadalupe .
In an interview with EL UNIVERSAL , Father José de Jesús Aguilar Valdés informed that the mosaic representing the Virgin of Guadalupe had not been damaged in the fire.
“Since it is located in the left nave of the cathedral, apart from the central nave, there were no objects falling on top of it during the fire,” he claimed, adding that the lateral chapels were in a lower area, which is why they were mostly unaffected by the heat.
Notre Dame is one of the few European churches that features an altar of a saint from Latin America.
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe found in the famous Parisian church dates back to 1949 . It is a replica of the image found in the Basilica of Guadalupe church , in Mexico City, and is often surrounded by Mexican flags and other offerings of Mexican origin.
The ‘Guadalupana’ of the Notre Dame cathedral has a crown made of 18-carat gold, with ornaments studded with pearls and emeralds.
The original image was created by artisans from the legendary Mellerio jewelry , which was known for crafting pieces meant for members of European royal families. The replica was entrusted to the Vatican mosaic factory and blessed by Pope Pius XII before being sent to Paris.
The ceremony of consecration was held on April 26 , presided by the Archbishop of Paris Ammanuel Suhard, Mexican Archbishop Luis María Martínez, and the Archbishop of Guadalajara, José Gabiri .
Visitors have claimed that it is one of the most colorful and flowery chapels found within the church.
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