The Romanian Patriarchate has received with great sorrow the news regarding the fire that destroyed the roof of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a religious, historic, and architectural monument of inestimable value, a symbol of European Christianity, well-known throughout the world and visited every year by millions of pilgrims and tourists.
The venerable emblem of the Europe of Cathedrals, a history-filled church (beginning with 1163), which has survived the vicissitudes of the ages for over 850 years, has now been seriously affected, causing international consternation besides massive material damage.
We express our deep solidarity with the French people, hardly tried these days by a severe damage to a national and international spiritual symbol.
At the same time, we express our hope that this Cathedral, a symbol of Christian Europe, will be restored as soon as possible, especially with the support of those who love the spiritual values of the universal religious and cultural heritage.
Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate
Photography courtesy of The Telegraph