Inestimable Loss

Cathedral of Notre Dame in flames (BBC News Online)

The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris caught fire a few hours ago. By all current accounts a large amount--perhaps all of the wood frame and interior, the roof and the spire--have been lost. The two towers seem to still be standing. The extent of the loss, which of course includes all sorts of art and hundreds of years of craftsmanship won't be known for quite a long while one suspects. The cathedral has been undergoing renovation, so perhaps that's the source of the fire.

Regardless of its source, the fire in the cathedral has wiped away nearly a millennium of history. Contemplation and mourning are the orders of the day. Making art can wait.

Update April 16, 2pm CDT. The fire has been extinguished and the towers and stonework seem to have survived. Of course the stone may have been damage by fire, but the truly ancient wood trusses and other members were centuries-dry and burned fiercely. The famous rose windows have survived so far, as well. Several news outlets have posted images showing the damage as well as the firefighters battling the blaze--some from inside the cathedral, beneath those huge towers and stoneworks. Brave and dedicated men. Hats off. They saved the cathedral, reduced the fire to a mitigated tragedy instead of a total loss. It is still a tragedy for France and for humankind.