The fire that destroyed two-thirds of the roof of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris on Monday did more than damage a beloved historic landmark: It also endangered the vast collection of Christian relics and artwork housed both within the building and on its grounds.
One of the cathedral’s most precious treasures a relic of the crown of thorns believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ at the time of his crucifixion was saved from the flames, according to the rector of the cathedral, Msgr. Patrick Chauvet.
But the condition of many of its other treasures including sculptures, paintings, stained glass windows and liturgical art and relics remained unclear, Monsignor Chauvet said. He said the main threats to the artwork were fire, smoke damage and falling material like melted lead.
Bernard Fonquernie, who worked in cathedral administration from 1978 to 2001, said water used to fight the fire could also damage its stonework and whatever wood survived the blaze.
Here are some of the treasures about which scholars and the religious faithful are most concerned.
The cathedral is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, from whom the church takes its name, which means Our Lady of Paris, Ms. Heimann said.
The cathedral contains three rose windows whose stained-glass panes, shaped like flower petals, each tell a religious story, including scenes from the Old and New Testaments, stories from the lives of the Twelve Apostles, and the resurrection of Christ.
According to legend, St. Denis, a third-century Christian martyr, was decapitated and died later while carrying his own head. St. Genevieve is often credited with saving Paris by using the power of group prayer to divert Attila, king of the Huns, away from the city in 451.
The grounds were once the site of an Ancient Roman temple that became a church after the Roman Empire embraced Christianity. Construction on the cathedral began in 1163 and was completed in 1345.
It is a place that single-handedly tells us the story of Paris and of France itself and its evolution, Ms. Heimann said. I don’t think there is any one thing inside of it that is more valuable than the thing as a whole. And I say that as an art historian that weeps for that lost art.