杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

In a tweet on Tuesday morning, Alessandro Gisotti, the interim Director of the Vatican Press Office, expressed 杏MAP导航 Francis鈥� closeness to the people of France.

The 杏MAP导航, he said, is praying for 鈥渁ll those who are striving to cope with this tragic situation.鈥�

Soon after the blaze started on Monday evening, Gisotti tweeted the Holy See鈥檚 鈥渟hock and sadness鈥�, calling the Cathedral of Notre Dame 鈥渁 symbol of Christianity in France and in the world鈥�.

What happened?

Fire broke out in Paris鈥� 860-year-old Cathedral on Monday evening, tearing through its timbered roofing and causing its storied spire to collapse.

The inferno raged for more than 12 hours before hundreds of firefighters were able to bring it under control. One firefighter was injured as he battled the flames.

The blaze started in the area around the spire, where workmen had been carrying out extensive renovations to the roof and the spire鈥檚 wooden frame.

The Paris prosecutor鈥檚 office has opened an investigation into the cause of the fire. Police sources told Reuters that they were working under the assumption that the fire was accidental.

What was saved?

Only the Gothic masterpiece鈥檚 outer walls, façade, and twin bell towers remain standing. Its famous pipe organ, dating back to the 1730s, also survived intact.

Firefighters reportedly saved many of the treasures housed inside.

Notre Dame鈥檚 Rector, Msgr. Patrick Chauvet, said the Crown of Thorns 鈥� which tradition holds was worn by Jesus during his Passion 鈥� and the tunic believed to have been worn by St. Louis, the 13^th century king of France, were rescued from the flames.

鈥楿nited in sorrow鈥�

Messages of solidarity and sorrow are pouring in from around the world.

The Bishops of France said Notre Dame鈥檚 influence 鈥渆xtends beyond the capital鈥� and that it would remain 鈥渁 major symbol of the Catholic faith鈥�. They also invited Catholics around the world to 鈥渂e living stones of the Church,鈥� especially as the faithful journey through Holy Week and look to the hope of Christ鈥檚 Resurrection.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, said New Yorkers are united in sorrow with Parisians. 鈥淭his Holy Week teaches us that, like Jesus, death brings life. Today鈥檚 dying, we trust, will bring rising,鈥� he said on the steps of St. Patrick鈥檚 Cathedral in Manhattan.

The spiritual leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, 杏MAP导航 Tawadros II of Alexandria, said the fire was 鈥渁 huge loss for all humanity,鈥� calling the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris 鈥渙ne of the most important monuments in the world.鈥�