Notre-Dame’s bells have been blessed as the cathedral reopens – a tradition that dates back to the middle ages

Notre-Dame cathedral was devastated by fire in 2019. Oliver Colthart/Shutterstock

Ahead of the reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, eight of the cathedral’s church bells were renovated and blessed before their re-installation in the north tower.

Philippe Jost, who has overseen the cathedral’s restoration following the devastating fire in 2019, described the re-installation of the bells as a “beautiful, important and symbolic step”. He called them the “voice of the cathedral”.