Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger | Diocese of Tucson website

In a historic year for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, the reconstruction of the roof structure has been completed, marking a significant milestone in the restoration process. The French company Ateliers Perrault, known for its expertise in restoring historic buildings, was entrusted with the final structural work on the roof. Julien Mulvet, a carpenter from Ateliers Perrault, along with his apprentice Leonard Laforest, placed a traditional bouquet of yellow mimosas on top of the wooden structure to signify the completion of their work.

"This is how it is traditionally done in the carpenters profession," Mulvet explained. "It is a symbol of passing on knowledge to the youngest generations."

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his admiration for the accomplishment, stating, "The bouquet of carpenters was arranged by the youngest of them: the Notre Dame structure is ready! French pride."

The ceremony was attended by carpenters and workers who posed for a group picture to commemorate the occasion. Mulvet expressed his gratitude towards the craftsmen who passed on the skills used in the 12th century by the builders of the cathedral. "I am very grateful to those small independent craftsmen," Mulvet said. "Our company usually works with machines and did not master this (manual) technique. Thanks to them, we learned how to cut the beams with axes, to take account of the wood fibers by following them with the eye, much better than with a machine."

The quality of the work has significantly improved as a result of this manual technique, making the structure much more solid. Mulvet recalled the visit of Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin, who oversaw the reconstruction of Notre Dame, to Ateliers Perrault in 2023. Mulvet, along with Philippe Jost, the current chair of the Rebâtir Notre Dame public institution, worked closely together to ensure the successful completion of the project.

Symbolically, Jost and Father Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the cathedral's rector-archpriest, placed the last two wooden handmade dowels at the top of the structure. Father Ribadeau Dumas described the moment as a "resurrection" of the oak framework after it had collapsed during the devastating fire in 2019. He commended the carpenters for their dedication and highlighted the spiritual dimension of their work.

"I told them that their job was that of Joseph and of Jesus!" Father Ribadeau Dumas said with a smile. "Their teamwork was a sight to behold. It was truly beautiful, and for me, as a priest, beauty says something about God. There is a spiritual dimension to this work and this spirit of fraternity that unites so many craftsmen around Notre Dame."

The completion of the roof reconstruction is a significant step forward in the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral. The craftsmen responsible for the lead roofing have already begun their work, bringing the iconic cathedral one step closer to its grand reopening on December 8th.