The Crown of Thorns, believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion, has returned to the Notre-Dame Cathedral, five years after being saved from the 2019 fire that ravaged the historic church.
The relic, a circle of rushes encased in a crystal and gold tube, was brought back during a ceremony led by Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich.
King Louis IX of France acquired the Crown of Thorns from Constantinople in 1239 for 135,000 livres, nearly half of France’s annual expenditure at the time.
It was initially housed at Sainte-Chapelle before being moved to Notre-Dame’s treasury in 1806.
During the 2019 fire, firefighters and police officers formed a human chain to rescue the relic along with other historic artifacts, as the cathedral’s wooden interiors and iconic spire were destroyed.
Following its rescue, the crown was kept at the Louvre Museum while Notre-Dame underwent extensive restoration. It has now been placed in a newly crafted reliquary, replacing the one from 1806.
The ceremony marking its return featured a procession attended by members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a Catholic knighthood order.
The public will be able to view the relic starting 10 January, according to French media reports.
Notre-Dame Cathedral reopened on 8 December after a €700 million (£582 million) restoration involving around 2,000 skilled workers, including masons, carpenters, restorers, roofers, art experts, sculptors, and engineers.
World leaders attended the reopening ceremony.
French President Emmanuel Macron, reflecting on the restoration, stated, “We must treasure this lesson of fragility, humility, and will.”
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