Notre Dame Cathedral Fire: Bells Honor at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception After Fire

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception tolled its bell 50 times in honor [...]

By Allison Schonter

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception tolled its bell 50 times in honor of Notre Dame Cathedral after a fire ravaged the historic landmark located in Paris, France.

As nearly 500 firefighters battled the blaze in the nearly 900-year-old cathedral Monday night, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Catholic church in North America located in Washington, D.C., paid tribute with a moment of silence broken only by the sound of a bell.

The fire at Notre Dame has since been extinguished and the main structure has been deemed "structurally sound."

The Basilica has also launched a fundraising campaign to assist in rebuilding of the Cathedral, which suffered severe damage in the blaze, including three "holes" in the vaulted ceiling and the collapse of its famous spiral.

"The devotion of the faithful has made the Cathedral of Notre Dame a welcoming place of worship and pilgrimage for more than eight centuries, and the Cathedral will now rely on the generosity of the world to rebuild this sacred place of worship," reads a message on the Basilica of the National Shrine's donation page.

"The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception encourages those whose lives have been touched by this iconic Cathedral to support the effort to resurrect and rebuild this church which has touched the hearts and souls of the world," it adds. "The proceeds of every donation will be used to support the Cathedral of Notre Dame and those affected by this tragedy."

The fundraising page comes as Salma Hayek's husband François-Henri Pinault pledged more than $113 million to the rebuilding process. French billionaire Bernard Jean Étienne Arnault has also pledged over $226 million to help repair the damaged structure.

Addressing Parisians and the nation as a whole Monday night while standing in front the still-burning structure, which began construction in 1160 and was completed in 1345, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to "rebuild" the heart of Paris.

"I'm telling you all tonight – we will rebuild this cathedral together," he said. "This is probably part of the French destiny. And we will do it in the next years. Starting tomorrow, a national donation scheme will be started that will extend beyond our borders."

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