Fire at Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral

[hoipolloi]

10 minutes ago, Bethella said:

I’m hoping they’ll do something similar to what’s been done at the Parthenon/Acropolis where they’ve replaced missing pieces of stone with salvaged materials where possible and with new stone in other cases. It’s visibly clear what’s original and what’s new but it maintains the integrity of the original structure. 

This is what was done with the Frauenkirche in Dresden, which -- along with the rest of the old city -- was completely leveled by the Allied fire-bombing in 1945.

Need to dig up my photos of a 2005 visit to Dresden but the recreation is stunning, both for individual buildings like the church and the entire cityscape, especially as seen from the river. 

ETA: This NPR interview from yesterday with an art historian who's made ND her life's work is worth listening to.

 

[Destiny]

This is so much better than my fears.

[Karma]

Those firefighters did an incredible job to save this much of the Cathedral.  I’ve visited twice, most recently four years ago. I’m glad we will be able to visit again.  

[Vivi_music]

I know it is not funny, but if in fact some votive lights were still burning while the roof was on fire... makes me smile and laugh kindly at the same time.

I don't know if they were exactly similar to ours, but we have a few stands in our chapel. I remember when I used to be a guide, going through each stand and making sure it was okay, changing the candles when one had finished burning, changing the little stick used to light them, etc. It was relaxing and my way of tending to the place, to make the chapel clean and nice for visitors.

Spoiler

 

If the ones in Notre-Dame are similar votive candles, these things are usually pretty safe and slowly consume themselves for two or three days without much danger. We leave ours overnight all the time and when we had fire scarce, it was more because of the electrical system than the votive lights.

[KnittingOwl]

When I was there, albeit 20 years ago, there were candles like the top picture. I lit one for my great grandmother who had passed away the year before. I think she would have liked that. 

[hoipolloi]

This is also some good news:

 

[ViolaSebastian]

I've been seeing a fair amount of memes and shared posts on Facebook in this vein , and since I respect the thoughts of people here on FJ, I thought I'd bring it up because it makes me feel conflicted. I care, deeply, about both. Sadly, I don't have any money to give to either cause, but I would donate to both. I don't think it's wrong to feel terribly that a World Heritage site sustained such damage. I just...I don't know.

Spoiler

 

[47of74]

I've been seeing a fair amount of memes and shared posts on Facebook in this vein , and since I respect the thoughts of people here on FJ, I thought I'd bring it up because it makes me feel conflicted. I care, deeply, about both. Sadly, I don't have any money to give to either cause, but I would donate to both. I don't think it's wrong to feel terribly that a World Heritage site sustained such damage. I just...I don't know.
Spoiler
 

Oh no. I batted more than an eye when I heard of that racist fuckstick burning down those churches.

But you’re right. Too many people who got all bent out of shape about Notre Dame couldn’t give two shits about black churches being burned.

[ViolaSebastian]

Just now, 47of74 said:

 

Oh no. I batted more than an eye when I heard of that racist fuckstick burning down those churches.

But you’re right. Too many people who got all bent out of shape about Notre Dame couldn’t give two shits about black churches being burned.

 

Just to be clear, this wasn't my status, but rather one that people have been sharing on Facebook.

[tsukinokawa]

wait a minute !

some racist penishead burned down three black churches ? and I heard nothing about it

[Bethella]

They’ve had a spike in fundraising for the three churches since the Notre Dame fire. They’ve raised $1.3 million of the $1.8 they need. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna995536

[viii]

I didn't hear about the three churches being burned down. That is disgusting and awful. I hope they're able to reach their goal quickly so they can rebuild. 

Nobody's house of worship should be tampered with. It should always be a safe space. 

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

1 hour ago, tsukinokawa said:

wait a minute !

some racist penishead burned down three black churches ? and I heard nothing about it

Yeah. Police arrested a suspect 6 days ago.

https://www.kxan.com/news/latest/3-historically-black-churches-burned-down-in-3-weeks-suspect-arrested/1917214155

And it looks like donations to rebuild the 3 churches have gone up dramatically in the wake of the fire at Notre Dame.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/louisiana-black-churches-burned-arson-fires-raise-more-1m-after-n995536

Quote

The devastating fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris led to an immediate outpouring of donations and an ambitious pledge by the French president to rebuild within five years. But a continent away, the blaze also spurred more than $1.3 million in donations to rebuild three historically black churches burned in suspected hate crimes in Louisiana.

"It gives you a new hope in society,” said Gerald Toussaint, the pastor at one of the churches, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. "It gives you a new hope in people because it shows a lot of people have a good heart."

That's a good thing, if kind of slow to happen.

[ViolaSebastian]

Oh wow! Last time I checked, they were at $400,000. It's lovely to see something beautiful come out of an act of terroristic hatred and a tragic (presumably) accidental blaze. Sometimes people can be really, beautifully good.

[Ozlsn]

I had to share this one:

Donald Trump branded 'almighty halfwit' by West Yorkshire fire chief over tweet.

Spoiler

A West Yorkshire fire chief has called Donald Trump a "half wit" for suggesting the Notre-Dame cathedral fire in Paris could be extinguished with "flying water tankers".

Deputy chief fire officer Dave Walton responded to the US President's tweet which said: "So horrible to watch the massive fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

"Perhaps flying water tankers could be used to put it out. Must act quickly!"

Mr Walton responded by saying: "Of all the almighty half wits in the world...Your expertise in firefighting is on a par with your grasp of humility, equality and honesty.

"Arguably the most unwelcome and ill founded firefighting tip ever issued by anyone ever."

Mr Trump didn't respond to Mr Walton's reply on Twitter but others agreed that dropping tonnes of water from a height might not be the best idea.

Ade Lyden, watch commander with West Midlands Fire Service, said: "Let's totally destroy the 800 year old cathedral by dropping tonnes of water onto it when its structure is already weakened.

"And next week we have Trump on how to split the atom using a Swiss Army knife."

Mr Walton said the suggestion was "ludicrous" and pointed out that a Paris fire department spokesman had said as much.

The spokesman said: "All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral."

It has also been suggested that dropping tonnes of water from a height could have injured people around the cathedral.

The entire cathedral was minutes away from total destruction, officials say.

However, much of the building survived after 400 firefighters tackled the flames.

Seriously here guys... tell us what you really think of Trump's suggestion. (It was the Swiss Army knife comment that cracked me up completely.)

[ViolaSebastian]

Quote

"Arguably the most unwelcome and ill founded firefighting tip ever issued by anyone ever."

This one got me...I'm in love with this guy.

[TuringMachine]

You mean Trump isn't all knowing about fires? What about his great suggestion for california to rake the forests like Sweden. Are you implying that was a dumb idea?

Side rant: my dad argued that the rake the forest thing was actually an ok suggestion and that global warming is not really related to California's fire problems. I can't even with him sometimes. 

[Jinder Roles]

10 hours ago, 47of74 said:

 

Oh no. I batted more than an eye when I heard of that racist fuckstick burning down those churches.

But you’re right. Too many people who got all bent out of shape about Notre Dame couldn’t give two shits about black churches being burned.

 

Too many people don’t give a shit about actual black people so yeah. 

Not to say this isn’t sad but the reaction and the money(!!) that has been poured into this church vs. other ongoing tragedies that happen everyday is very telling. 

[Beermeet]

18 minutes ago, Jinder Roles said:

Too many people don’t give a shit about actual black people so yeah. 

Not to say this isn’t sad but the reaction and the money(!!) that has been poured into this church vs. other ongoing tragedies that happen everyday is very telling. 

Especially because the Catholic church can totally afford to rebuild using their own money. They really should refuse it or take it and donate to hate crimes against other lesser known places of worship.  

[Destiny]

Especially because the Catholic church can totally afford to rebuild using their own money. They really should refuse it or take it and donate to hate crimes against other lesser known places of worship.  

The Catholic Church does not own it and has no say in rebuilding.

[Beermeet]

4 minutes ago, Destiny said:

The Catholic Church does not own it and has no say in rebuilding.

Really? I've been watching too much Versailles, Tudors and Borgias maybe!

They could donate though. It would be the right thing to do. For all I know they have.  I assumed they are heavily tied to such places, no?

[Destiny]

Really? I've been watching too much Versailles, Tudors and Borgias maybe!
They could donate though. It would be the right thing to do. For all I know they have.  I assumed they are heavily tied to such places, no?

I’m pretty sure they have donated something, but, no, the cathedral, while still an active Catholic Church, is owned by the French government since the revolution (or possibly before. French history is not my area of expertise).

[Beermeet]

1 minute ago, Destiny said:

I’m pretty sure they have donated something, but, no, the cathedral, while still an active Catholic Church, is owned by the French government since the revolution (or possibly before. French history is not my area of expertise).

Well, according to the latest Versailles Netflix dump, King Louis XIV made France it's own Catholic sovereignty or something.  I know, I know. My knowledge on the subject is astonishingly accurate.  ??

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

4 minutes ago, Beermeet said:

Well, according to the latest Versailles Netflix dump, King Louis XIV made France it's own Catholic sovereignty or something.  

I'm no expert on French history, but I believe that Louis XIV's grandson, Louis XVI, encountered this little bump called the French Revolution. Then a bunch of things changed. Then Napoleon Bonaparte came along, and they changed again. And somewhere in there were 2 world wars. I think.

[Beermeet]

It's like a sober Drunk History on FJ right now!