Notre Dame Cathedral Hosts Emotional Easter Service Centered on Crown of Thorns

PARIS — Four months after its highly anticipated reopening, Notre Dame Cathedral welcomed worshippers and tourists alike on Friday for an emotional Easter ceremony centered on the renowned Crown of Thorns relic. The circular band of thorns, believed to be a symbol of Christ’s suffering, is encased in a golden tube and is one of Christianity’s most revered relics.

The ceremony, held during Holy Week, featured liturgical chants, candlelight, and a solemn procession of clerics carrying the Crown of Thorns through the cathedral’s nave. Visitors formed lines that stretched across the Seine River, eager to experience the rebirth of the Gothic landmark.

Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector of Notre Dame, remarked on the overwhelming turnout this week, stating, “Before we saw about 20,000 pilgrims a day; now it’s closer to 30,000. The joy people feel rediscovering the cathedral — you can see it on their faces as they leave.”

Among the many attendees was Marylène Portet, 63, a lifelong Paris resident who has attended Easter Mass at Notre Dame since childhood. She expressed concern when a group of tourists began taking photos from sacred areas. “This is a sacred moment,” she said. “You don’t just take a picture of the relic and move on.” After ushers intervened, Portet returned to soaking in the moment, admiring the renewed ceiling and catching glimpses of the ceremony.

“It’s not only the cathedral that’s been rebuilt,” she added. “It feels like a link that was missing for so long has been restored too.”

Tiphaine Mauquiez, 41, traveled to the ceremony from Poitiers with her two young daughters. “We tried to attend Mass during the reopening week in December but couldn’t get in,” she said. “This time we made it. For my daughters to witness this magnificent moment — it’s unbelievable.”

In January, cathedral officials reported significant visitor numbers since reopening. Sibylle Bellamy-Brown, head of public reception at Notre Dame, noted, “Before the fire, we welcomed between 10 and 12 million visitors a year. Since reopening, more than 3.5 million have already come. But our goal isn’t to set records. What matters is seeing the cathedral come back to life.”

For both French and international worshippers, the day symbolized more than just faith; it was a celebration of reconnection. Marianna Janik, 34, visiting from Poland, reflected on the significance of her trip, stating, “We simply could not miss this. We came to Mass here 10 years ago. When the fire happened, we were heartbroken. So coming back now to worship Jesus Christ in a cathedral that rose from the ashes — it’s even more powerful.”

The devastating fire on April 15, 2019, led to the closure of the iconic monument. The ongoing renovation, which has spanned five years, culminated in the grand ceremony that marked Notre Dame’s return to the public.