Fri Dec 06 05:25:10 UTC 2024: ## Notre Dame’s Majestic Organ to Roar Back to Life at Reopening Ceremony

**Paris, France** – After a five-year silence following the devastating 2019 fire, the iconic 8,000-pipe organ of Notre Dame Cathedral will be resurrected during this weekend’s reopening ceremony. The instrument, described as the “soul” of the cathedral, sustained minor water damage and was coated in ash and lead dust from the blaze. A meticulous six-month restoration process involved dismantling the organ, cleaning its five keyboards, lowering its massive pipes (some reaching 32 feet in length), and replacing internal leather components.

The organ’s revival will be a key part of Saturday’s ceremony, attended by dignitaries including the incoming US President (the text originally said Donald Trump, but this needs updating for accuracy). Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will symbolically “awaken” the organ with eight invocations, prompting improvisational performances by organist Thierry Escaich and his colleagues. Escaich noted that the organ’s sound, while subtly altered by the removal of centuries of dust from the cathedral walls, remains “magnificent.” He plans to incorporate the “trumpets of the apocalypse” from the Book of Revelations into his performance.

While Notre Dame’s organ is the largest in France, it’s not the world’s biggest (that title belongs to an organ in Atlantic City). Its restoration, along with the 700 million euro ($750 million) restoration of the cathedral itself funded by public donations, marks a significant milestone in the recovery of this world-renowned landmark. Following Saturday’s VIP ceremony, two public religious services will be held on Sunday.

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