During the French Revolution in 1790, some people saw the figure of Jesus Christ devouring a Cathedral during the devastating fire. The presence of Christ walking among the flames was only to save an eight-hundred-year-old Notre-Dame Cathedral from the destruction which saved the whole edifice from being destroyed. I have chosen Notre-Dame over all the cathedrals for three significant reasons; its magnificent Christianity-enriched French culture, its valor to outlast two world wars and Stalin’s demonic plan of blasting the Cathedral of our Savior.
Notre-Dame simply referred to as “Our Lady of Paris” is a medieval catholic cathedral dedicated to the “Virgin Mary” designed according to the multifaceted French citizenry beliefs yet a Christian site still. Its flying buttress, sculptural decoration, sensational colorful stained-glass windows, a Silver of the True Cross, and three pipe organs make this Cathedral a widely recognized symbol of French Gothic architecture. Along with these religion-historic symbolisms, rib vault, church bells, and a Crown of Thorns make it an ingenious artwork of the French nation. (Wikipedia, 2019) Indeed, the architecture of this Cathedral is completely consonant with beliefs of Christian theology and French citizenry. Notre-Dame’s resurrection in 1844 and 1864 inspired by the 1831 novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo was consonant with the spiritual treasures of Christianity after its destruction on Stalin’s orders. The magnificent French Gothic structure was resurrected with the Christian worldview to honor the glory of God as Abbot Suger envisioned the religious teachings of the Roman Catholic Church that a cathedral should be designed to reflect the divine light and God’s grace should directly be conveyed to humanity. Abbot Suger’s vision was permeated in twelfth-century France with the Christian worldview in Roman Catholic Cathedral so that God alone be glorified and authority of Christ should be claimed as our Savior. The incorporation of “glass-stained windows” as Abbot envisioned is a reflection of “heavenly light” that manifests the presence of God, in Roman culture. The design of Notre-Dame achieved Abbot’s goal in the Cathedral as workmen who put the True Cross, built Cathedral’s walls, carved magnificent sculptures, built flying buttresses, and put beautiful rose windows remained unknown so that God’s name alone be reverenced.
In conclusion, French Gothic tradition and contemporary Christian religious thought are accommodated in the resurrection of Notre-Dame Cathedral. The reason that truly makes this Cathedral a royal monument is that it outlasted many desecration attempts even Hitler’s crazed and devastating plan to burn down all of Paris.
Works Cited
Wikipedia Contributors. “Notre-Dame de Paris.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris.
