Notre-Dame Hosts First Christmas Masses Since 2019 Fire

The restored cathedral welcomed thousands for Christmas services, marking a symbolic return to worship after years of reconstruction.

Notre-Dame de Paris reopened for Christmas services for the first time since the devastating fire in April 2019, with four masses held on Christmas Eve, including the traditional midnight mass.
The cathedral's restoration, completed after five years of work costing nearly €700 million, has drawn immense public interest, with over 270,000 visitors in just eight days since reopening on December 7, 2024.
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich presided over the midnight mass, emphasizing the joy of returning to the historic site and paying tribute to the artisans who contributed to its restoration.
The Christmas celebrations coincided with the launch of the Catholic Church's 2025 Jubilee Year, announced by Pope Francis at the Vatican, which is expected to attract millions of pilgrims worldwide.
Attendees described the experience as deeply symbolic and emotional, with long queues forming outside the cathedral, which is operating under a strict capacity limit of 2,700 people per service.