It’s been nearly a month since flames ripped through Notre Dame, destroying the iconic Parisian cathedral. In the weeks since the destruction occurred, photos have been released revealing the extent of the devastation.
The photos, shared by Daily Mail, show David Muir and General Jean-Louis, the man hired to head up recovery efforts, moving through the charred remnants of the once-beautiful structure. Destroyed pews and a collapsed altar can be seen in the images. The rain was also visible, pouring through where the ceiling once was.
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Burnt remnants aren’t all that could be seen in the photos. Some relics survived the fire, according to Daily Mail. Those surviving items include a golden cross, a statue of the Virgin Mother, and the Church’s organ. The cross’ survival is especially miraculous, Daily Mail noted. The fire reached the building’s structural parts, taking down the spire, but did not move the cross. It’s still sitting in its original spot behind the altar and choir inside the church.
“The entire world saw the cross of God shining despite the fire,” Georgelin told Muir in a preview for the special.
The statue of the Virgin Mother was also examined closely in the special. The relic survived completely untouched despite flames roaring around it at the height of the blaze.
Muir and Georgelin noted that while the organ wasn’t touched by the flames, water may have taken a toll on it. Lead as also thought to have gotten into the organ, which could potentially create problems down the line.
“We probably will have to remove it to repair it … Sometime we will hear it again, the organ of Notre Dame de Paris,” Georgelin said.
Notre Dame’s famous rose windows also remained undamaged during the fire, Daily Mail reported. Georgelin said efforts to spare the iconic windows were “a race against time,” adding that some feared “the entire building could collapse.”
Georgelin said he’s confident the church will be fully restored to its previous glory.
“Nothing is impossible to a French general,’ he said, noting that it could take as long as five years to re-open Notre Dame. “When there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Muir is set to star in a World News Tonight special highlighting the destruction of Notre Dame, as well as the recovery efforts. The report will air on that network and Good Morning America.
The fire at Notre Dame started on April 15, during a holy week for the Catholic faith. The fire started ripping through the building sometime during a mass that day. The blaze ripped through the top of the cathedral, which was under renovations. The spire collapsed, but the rest of the building remains standing.
As for a cause, that’s still under investigation. The fire is currently being treated as an accident, Daily Mail reported. Prosecutors have ruled out terror-related motives and arson. No one was killed in the fire, though one firefighter was injured battling the blaze.
