An archbishop’s knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on

By AP Paris team

From the heart-stopping moment when Notre Dame’s flaming spire crashed down in 2019 to the breathtaking first chords of the cathedral’s reawakened organ on Saturday, AP’s Paris team produced exceptional coverage of a story that gripped the world. The coverage leading up to and during the weekend reopening stood out for focusing on the people — ordinary and extraordinary — who made the monument’s speedy rebirth possible: architects and builders, organists and organ restorers, devout Catholics from around the world. AP set the stage with innovative and hugely popular digital coverage of the rebuilt spire a year ago, a spirit that continued through the reopening with a photo presentation immortalizing the cathedral before and after. A well-chosen top shot, reserved by AP a year before the reopening, ensured round-the-clock Live coverage for three days that was massively used by customers.

The team’s perseverance and dedication to covering a years-long story put AP in prime position to deliver comprehensive and diverse coverage at a moment when the world’s eyes were on Notre Dame being returned to splendor. Their deep knowledge of the entire story arc enriched AP’s reporting and visual offerings for our audience and are a testament to the expertise the whole team cultivated on this story.

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