People gathered for a midday mass at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis on Tuesday in a show of support for Notre Dame Cathedral after the Paris landmark was heavily damaged in a massive fire.
It took hundreds of firefighters more than 12 hours to contain the fire that toppled the steeple and destroyed the roof of the famed church during this Holy Week leading up to Easter. The cathedral had been undergoing renovations.
After the mass in Minneapolis, some of those gathered prayed the rosary, honoring "Our Lady of Paris" — Notre Dame. People at the basilica also wrote messages and prayers in a book that will be sent to the archbishop of Paris next week.
"Many people have been touched by the tragedy at the cathedral, which is miles away from here," said Johan van Parys, director of liturgy at the Basilica of St. Mary. "I have received e-mails and messages from my friends here in Minnesota and Europe."
Mary Syfax Noble, a member of the basilica who attended the mass, recalled her 2010 visit to Notre Dame as part of a vacation cruise.
"It was huge," Noble said. "The high ceiling, the artifacts, the grandeur of the structure. What fascinated me was that there were hundreds of people inside the church but there was hardly any noise."
She said she prayed as she watched images of the cathedral burning on television.
"I hope that they save some parts of it," she said.
