The installation by a crane of a new golden rooster, reimagined as a dramatic phoenix with licking, flamed feathers, goes beyond being just a weathervane on top of the cathedral’s spire. Chief architect Philippe Villeneuve, who designed this new rooster, stated that the original rooster’s survival signified a ray of light in the catastrophe. The rooster is lowered onto the cathedral’s spire (AP Photo/Michel Euler)“That there was hope, that not everything was lost. The beauty of the (old) battered rooster… expressed the cry of the cathedral suffering in flames,” Mr Villeneuve said. This move, along with plans to invite Pope Francis for the cathedral’s reopening next year, highlights Notre Dame’s significance in French history and culture.

Source: The Times December 17, 2023 00:26 UTC