THE SUBLIME, THE HEARTWARMING, (AND THE LAMENTABLY RIDICULOUS)     PART 1 

THE MONNAIE DE PARIS, FRANCE’S NATIONAL MINT, IS ISSUING 2-Euro and 10-Euro coins celebrating the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris after construction following the cathedral’s horrific fire on April 15, 2019. This is the sublimely good news; a wedding there is a heartwarming portion as well. Alas, in Part 2 tomorrow there’s a not unrelated bit of Trumpian nonsense.

Celebrating “Our Lady.” The Monnaie’s website recounts, “An icon of Gothic architecture, Notre-Dame embodies the grandeur and spirit of resilience that have endured through the centuries. With this two euros coin, we sought to capture the magnificence of the monument and the richness of the Gothic lines of the Parisian building. This collection bears witness to the rebirth of Notre-Dame, now engraved for posterity.”

This and the following image from Monnaie de Paris.

More Than A Millennium of History: The website continues, “Monnaie de Paris is France’s oldest institution and one of the world’s oldest enterprises. It was in 864, with the promulgation of the edict of Pîtres, that Charles II—Charles the Bald—decided to create a Parisian monetary workshop attached to the Crown, in addition to eight other workshops in the provinces.” 

The Monnaie de Paris as seen in an early portrait.

The website observes that, for a long time, the minting of currency had been shared by many lords, barons, and ecclesiasticals from the provinces: “We had to wait until the reign of Louis XIV at the very end of the 17th century for the currency minted from one end of the kingdom to the other to be identical.” 

“In 1691,” it continues, “there were 27 manufacturing workshops throughout France. Their number declined gradually and in 1870 there were only three left: Bordeaux, Paris and Strasbourg. Since 1878, only Monnaie de Paris remains active.” In 1973, the mint established a facility in Pessac, Gironde (in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in the country’s southwest). The Parisian workshops have refocussed on medals, objets d’art and collector currencies.

Today, the full facade of the Monnaie de Paris can be viewed from the Íle de la Cité (home to Norte-Dame cathedral). Image by PHGCOM from Wikipedia.

A Heartwarming Notre-Dame Tale. Solène Tadié reports in the National Catholic Register, October 30, 2025: “Ten months after its glorious reopening ceremony, the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris hosted an unusual event: the wedding of one of its own rebuilders. It is a privilege few could ever hope for, since Notre-Dame no longer hosts private ceremonies. This time, however, an exception was made—not for a monarch or a celebrity, but for a humble, hardworking craftsman.”  

Tadié continues, “Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich granted special permission for the marriage in recognition of Martin Lorentz’s three-year contribution to rebuilding the cathedral’s charred wooden frame after the devastating 2019 fire. The young carpenter, who had dreamed of this moment since his days working beneath the vaults, married his fiancée Jade on Oct. 25, beneath the bright lights of the restored cathedral. The ceremony, celebrated by the rector of Notre-Dame, Msgr. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, brought together about 500 guests—family, friends and many fellow carpenters who had labored beside Lorentz on the restoration.”

She observes, “The monument’s restoration involved more than 2000 artisans and 250 companies, using ancient carpentry techniques to reconstruct the spire and frame. Twenty kilometers (almost 12.5 miles) of oak beams were prepared by hand to restore the original design by the 19th-century architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.

Tadié concludes, “This wedding served as a reminder that the true renewal of the cathedral lies not only in its restored stones, but also in the souls and vibrant faith it continues to attract under its roof.”

Pause here to enjoy Notre-Dame’s celebrations, monetary and nuptial. Tomorrow in Part 2, alas, our president celebrates unbounded narcissism. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025