Notre-Dame Welcomes Return of the Sacred Crown of Thorns

The revered Christian relic, saved during the 2019 fire, has been restored to the cathedral in a solemn ceremony after five years.

The Crown of Thorns, believed to have been worn by Jesus during the crucifixion, was ceremonially returned to Notre-Dame de Paris on December 13, 2024.
The relic, saved by a chaplain during the 2019 Notre-Dame fire, had been housed at Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois church during the cathedral's reconstruction.
The crown was placed in a newly designed reliquary by Sylvain Dubuisson, featuring a modern aesthetic of gold, crystal, and cedar wood.
The restoration of Notre-Dame, completed at a cost of €700 million, has allowed the cathedral to reopen to the public earlier this month.
The Crown of Thorns will be available for public veneration starting December 16, marking a significant moment for Christian pilgrims and visitors.