CHURCHES AND DISASTERS
I am still reeling from yesterday's fire at Notre Dame de Paris. It is hard for me to look at the videos and pictures that are now readily available on electronic media. One of the greatest cultural treasures of the world has been badly damaged. As devastating as it was, however, it could have been much worse. Notre Dame could have been destroyed.
This morning's reports say that the west (main) facade has been spared and the two towers and the bells are intact. The stone walls are also standing. Authorities are now assessing the integrity of the towers and walls. There is fear that there may still be danger of collapse. Reports also say the three magnificent rose windows were spared as well as the great organ although they may have been damaged. Apparently all of the great relics were removed for safe keeping, most importantly the Crown of Thorns and St. Louis's tunic.
I have a personal attachment to Notre Dame. As a young, and poor, graduate student in 1970, I spent my days buried in the archives and libraries of Paris and my free time exploring the great monuments of the city, most of which had no or low admission cost. Notre Dame was a (free) favorite. I climbed the great towers, studied all of the sculptures, admired all of the stained glass windows I could reach, walked all around the outside. If one has not heard the great organ in full force during Mass, well, you just cannot imagine the electricity of the sound. All in all, Notre Dame was one of my favorite places in the world and continued to be every time I returned to Paris.
Yesterday's fire reminds all of us that our local churches are just as vulnerable to disasters, natural and man-made. And, in a way, our local church is just as important to us as Notre Dame is to the world, the center of our hearts. Irreplaceable.
We are not able to prevent some disasters; and these buildings are after all physical structures that are not permanent. They are all transient. So, we need to remind ourselves of ways we can protect our local treasures against damage. Here are some common sense suggestions:
1) Make sure your church insurance is adequate and current. Know the coverage.
2) Inventory, photograph (video and still), and provide written descriptions of every item of furnishing of the church. In case of destruction, you will have to provide evidence of the items lost. This would include altar furnishings, vestments, stained glass windows, other furnishings, lighting fixtures, and furniture. (In my local church the chalice and paten were made of coin silver and given by the founders in the 1840s. In 1940 a traveling circus moved through town and when they left, the churches, which were never locked, discovered numerous items missing. The priceless chalice and paten have never been located. Lesson-at least lock the doors.)
3) Photograph (video and still) and provide written descriptions of the physical structure inside and out.
4) Archives should be kept in fireproof containers.
5) Keep the records and inventories separate from the church or in a fireproof container.
6) Make sure fire alarms, smoke detectors and the like are functional.
7) Have a plan in case of natural disasters, as tornadoes. (Several years ago, our church had a tornado warning during the main Palm Sunday service. We herded the congregation into the basement and opened up all the doors. The tornado missed us but struck another church destroying it and killing several people.)
We tend to think that our church is safe and will always be there. Yesterday's event tells us that no church is indestructible. We would be wise to prepare for the worst.
UPDATE, Apr. 17. New reports say the structure of Notre Dame is stable enough for the roof to be rebuilt. This reflects the genius of Gothic architecture as perfected in the High Middle Ages. It was based on three architectural innovations: pointed arch (carries more weight than rounded arch), ribbed vaulting (stone "ribs" carry weight from top of ceiling to inside pillars), and flying buttresses (prop up the exterior walls). These removed the weight from the walls allowing large stained glass windows. Of the three, the one most in doubt in the fire was the second, the ribbed vaulting. It is actually in the stone ceiling below the wooden timbers that support the roof above. It was the network of wooden timbers between the roof and the ceiling that burned and caused the other damage. Photos show that the ribbed vaulting collapsed in a couple of spots (transept and nave) but that the system of the vaulting as a whole stood. This is the best news of the day and is a testament to the brilliance of the medieval cathedral architects, most of whom are unknown today. Owing to their ingenious plan, Notre Dame's fire was damaging but not catastrophic.
UPDATE, Apr. 17. New reports say the structure of Notre Dame is stable enough for the roof to be rebuilt. This reflects the genius of Gothic architecture as perfected in the High Middle Ages. It was based on three architectural innovations: pointed arch (carries more weight than rounded arch), ribbed vaulting (stone "ribs" carry weight from top of ceiling to inside pillars), and flying buttresses (prop up the exterior walls). These removed the weight from the walls allowing large stained glass windows. Of the three, the one most in doubt in the fire was the second, the ribbed vaulting. It is actually in the stone ceiling below the wooden timbers that support the roof above. It was the network of wooden timbers between the roof and the ceiling that burned and caused the other damage. Photos show that the ribbed vaulting collapsed in a couple of spots (transept and nave) but that the system of the vaulting as a whole stood. This is the best news of the day and is a testament to the brilliance of the medieval cathedral architects, most of whom are unknown today. Owing to their ingenious plan, Notre Dame's fire was damaging but not catastrophic.
