Notre Dame is burning.

[Illiniwek]

I literally feel sick hearing and watching this occur. I can't believe an "accident" like this could happen in 2019. Hearing that they are basically giving up on saving the structure is heartbreaking.

Also I think of this happening after the tragic shootings Paris has had over the past decade, it just brings a tear to my eye for the city of Paris.

I went to Paris a number of years ago with my now wife, and every single morning we were in Paris we went to daily mass at the Cathedral. It was a series of moments that really felt life changing. It is really saddening to know that Notre Dame will never exist as we knew it ever again.

[Illiniwek]

Appalling. I don't know what else I can say about this.

I was trying to figure out what in the United States would be remotely comparable and the closest I could come up with was if the National Cathedral, the Lincoln Memorial, and more than one of the really old Puritan->Congregationalist->UCC/UU churches in Eastern Massachusetts all went out at once. Even that might not be as scarring.

Probably something like the Statue of Liberty burning.

The equivalent in America would not even be a church. Notre Dame for the French and Parisians would be like the White House or Capitol for Americans. Its not a religion thing, its a national symbol.

[Illiniwek]

French Interior Ministry: saving Notre Dame is not certain.
The firefighters fear that the fire could reach and destroy the North Tower.

It looks increasingly likely that the fire has spread to the towers and if that's true then there is likely little hope of saving them.

[Illiniwek]

The towers are saved.

just heard that, i'm happy about that, apparently the structure in general will survive as well

That is very good news. May I ask who is reporting this?

[Illiniwek]

If that is the full extent of the damages, that is a remarkable relief. Though I imagine the building must be greatly weakened.

[Illiniwek]

https://twitter.com/pegobry/status/1117930698567032832

^^^Hero

thank you so much to this Father.