The world watched in horror in 2019 as the flèche of the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris caught fire, set the lead-covered roof ablaze, and crashed into the cathedral. Notre Dame is the second cathedral of Paris. Started by Bishop Maurice de Sully in 1163 and largely completed by 1260, it replaced the earlier cathedral of Saint Étienne, which was built in the fourth or fifth century. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, it was secularized in the French Revolution, stripped of all bronze, lead, and precious metals and turned into a temple, first of reason, then of the Supreme Being. Napoleon restored it to the use of the Catholic Church, although the state retained and still retains ownership. It was in bad repair and there were proposals to tear it down. Victor Hugo’s book, known in English as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, rallied people to call for its restoration, which was supervised by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. The communards attempted unsuccessfully to set it afire in 1871. Further restorations were undertaken in the twentieth century.
Instructor Byron Stuhlman is a retired Episcopal priest who has taught courses for Coastal Senior College in religion, history, and literature. He serves as co-chair of the curriculum committee and is a former President of Coastal Senior College.
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