Bishop’s three knocks signify reopening of Notre Dame five years after blaze

The interior of Notre Dame Cathedral is seen before France’s iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP)

Howling winds could not stop Notre Dame’s heart from beating again. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a staff carved from fire-scorched beams, the cathedral roared back to life on Saturday evening.

For the first time since a devastating 2019 blaze, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer, and awe beneath its soaring arches.