Fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral: New York Times

A fire destroyed the roof of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, causing the spire to collapse, and the New York Times reports “an outpouring of grief in France and around the world as the symbol of French culture and history burned.” The cathedral had been been under construction. Citizens and tourists watched from around the city, and people around the world watched the footage on social media and television, many recalling learning about the cathedral as students in school. Firefighters around the world pointed out the challenges of protecting structures built centuries ago and political and religious leaders mourned, offering words of encouragement, hope and prayer. “A sense of loss pervaded the reactions, especially for the works of art and historical artifacts inside the cathedral. Built over two centuries and completed in 1345, it contained relics, priceless stained-glass rose windows and other prizes of France’s long Catholic history. It survived the French Revolution and two world wars.” – YaleGlobal