Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

The statue of the Virgin of Paris has returned to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after the devastating fire that severely damaged the iconic church. The 14th-century statue, also known as the Virgin and Child or the Virgin of the Pillar, was accompanied by thousands of Parisians who participated in a procession filled with prayer, song, and candlelight on November 15.

Auxiliary Bishop Philippe Marsset described the statue's survival during the fire as "a kind of miracle." He noted that many Christians viewed the event as a divine purification. "The statue of the Virgin was spared in the flames and the waters. It remained standing, as a sign that heaven was watching over us," he told OSV News.

After being housed at Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois near the Louvre since October 2019, where Notre Dame’s liturgical activities were temporarily moved, the statue began its journey back to Notre Dame from this location. For security reasons, only a replica was carried by hand while the original statue traveled in a special truck.

The procession concluded at Notre Dame Cathedral around 7 p.m., greeted by Maîtrise Notre Dame choir's singing. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich blessed the original statue upon its arrival before it entered into Notre Dame's construction site.

Noémie Teyssier d’Orfeuil from "Pèlerinage des Pierres Vivantes" highlighted how this event became both missionary and popular: “Originally, it was a logistical event. But it turned into something much more.” She emphasized that it symbolized "the restoration of Notre Dame’s cult vocation."

Inside Notre Dame, Father Gaëtan de Bodard recounted how one firefighter rediscovered his faith during efforts to save Notre Dame from burning: “He felt a guiding presence... marking a profound rapprochement with God.”

Bishop Marsset expressed hope for renewal beyond destruction through symbols like Mary and Christ's cross: “Mary...and her humility gave us direction: ‘Church...at end of this road there is 'beyond disaster.'"