Absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. Words really don’t do the scene above justice.
About 856 years after ground was broken to build the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, onlookers solemnly looked on as one of the key symbols of the Catholic faith in the world burned on Monday.
Not deterred by despair over the tragic scene that filled the air, Parisians, and most likely Catholics from all around the world observing Holy Week, gathered together in a show of unity by singing “Ave Maria.”
For those who aren’t Catholic or familiar with “Ave Maria,” it’s a “prayer to the Virgin Mary,” according to Google’s dictionary.
In this case, you don’t have to be Catholic to understand the unifying power of people coming together to essentially pray in the face of turmoil and helplessness. If the people couldn’t save the historic church, they did the next best thing and showed the world that the power of prayer has the ability to unite complete strangers.
Yours truly isn’t a Catholic himself, but I can definitely appreciate the sentiment behind such an act of faith.
The reason for the unity wasn’t optimal, but under the circumstances, some beauty came to light in the face of such darkness.
Here's another video circulating of the crowd in Paris:
H/T: The Blaze