At the time of the most sacred period of the Christian calendar, watching the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral go down in flames is sadly symbolic.
In the past months, the Catholic Church has been embroiled in controversy over abuse of children and its apparent intrusion into the affairs of state in some democracies like the Philippines where the supposed separation of church and state is enshrined in the fundamental laws of the land.
The fire that engulfed the famous Cathedral in Paris known for its Gothic architecture resonates a kind of symbolic message not only to the Catholic faithful but also for everyone who embrace the staff of peace. This week is Holy Week. A when millions of Christians around the world mark the death and resurrection of Jesus. As has been the tradition over the years, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, like all churches in the Philippines, would have been preparing to display its holy relics to the faithful on Good Friday. When the cathedral’s iconic spire toppled amid the flames, it was like seeing the bastion of religion crumble down in the face of the challenges the church and the millions of faithfuls around the world are facing.
Perhaps the Notre Dame Cathedral is not known to most Filipinos who cannot afford to travel to on of the world’s favorite destinations. But its significance may not be lost on the predominantly Christian country. Beyond the Instagram photos, there is much to know about Notre Dame. First, it is not a parish church, meaning that it does not have a regular body of worshippers who “belong” to the church. However, it is considered as the home church of Paris’ Archbishop Michel Aupetit. Catholics come to the Cathedral for vespers (evening prayers) masses and penance. During Holy Week, Notre Dame unveils some of the most coveted relics in Christendom including the Holy Crown, believed by many to be from the crown of thorns placed on the head of Jesus. It is referred to as “the most precious and most venerated relic” prayed for by Catholics for more than 16 centuries.
Two other Holy Week-related relics found in the Cathedral are a fragment of the Wood of the Cross, believed by many to be a part of the “true cross” on which Jesus was crucified and one of the nails that the Romans used to crucify Jesus. The nail is believed to have come from the Holy Sepulcher, the place where Jesus was buried in Jerusalem. According to historic records, Christians in Jerusalem gave the relic to the Emperor Charlemagne in 799, and it subsequently became a powerful object of veneration for generations of French Catholics. It was believed that during the French Revolution, when French secularists destroyed many iconic Catholic pieces of history and art, the nail was saved and given to the archbishop of Paris.
Like the church in Jolo that was bombed on January 27, the destruction has put down but a part of religious faith. It will rise again in no time. The real spire called faith that is burning inside each one, is the one that’s indestructible.
