Ephemeral church at Notre-Dame esplanade

Paris: Catholic worshippers feeling orp-haned by the fire that ravaged part of Notre-Dame will be welcomed in an “ephemeral cathedral” of wood in front of the Paris monument until it reop-ens, Notre-Dame’s chief priest said on Thursday.

Speaking to France’s CNews television channel Monsignor Patrick Chauvet said: “We mustn’t say ‘the cathedral is closed for five years and that’s it’.

To give the faithful somewhere to congregate next to Notre-Dame, he suggested: “Can I not build an ephemeral cathedral on the esplanade (in front of Notre-Dame)?” Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had backed the idea and agreed to give over part of the esplanade to the church for a wooden structure, he said.

Chauvet said the wooden “cathedral” would host priests who could address some of the millions of tourists who throng the original 850-year-old Go-thic cathedral each year.

On Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron said he aimed to rebuild Notre-Dame within five years.

The government said it would launch an international architecture contest to replace the burning steeple which came crashing down during Monday’s inferno, along with a large part of the roof. Chauvet said the surrogate “cathedral” would be erected quickly, as soon as the esplanade reopens after work to secure the cathedral is completed.