Christmas mass goes ahead after fire at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal

The Christmas service at Montreal's Notre Dame Cathedral, which suffered a fire on Christmas Eve, went ahead as planned.

The fire started at 2:30 a.m. on December 24 in a scaffolding under construction outside the building. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within four hours, but parts of the building, including the roof and towers, were damaged.

However, overall damage to the building was less than expected. The church is generally healthy and can be restored.

The Christmas service was held inside the church. More than 1500 people were present in this ceremony.

"We are grateful that the church is still standing," Archbishop Arthur Rogers of Montreal said at the ceremony. It is a symbol of hope and salvation for us." Andre Laplante, Prime Minister of Quebec, was also present at this ceremony. He said: "Notre Dame is a precious heritage for us. We are determined to restore it and preserve it for future generations."

The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral will take years. But local officials hope the building can reopen by Christmas 2025.

news source