After fire engulfed the 850-year-old Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2019 – destroying the medieval timbers, crushing stone gargoyles and bells, melting the lead roof, causing the spire to collapse, and threatening precious relics and artistic treasures – the restoration has concluded and the cathedral is ready to open its doors once again during the Christmas season. With the help of the latest technology and breathtaking craftsmanship, the quick reconstruction of the cathedral has been an act of faith and a labor of love. Some would say it’s been nothing short of a miracle, but it’s only the latest renovation in its long history. Why invest so much time, effort, and expense to restore a building? What’s the religious, national, cultural, artistic, and cultural significance of this site and other public sites we visit closer to home?

Host: Andrew J. Falk

Guests: Michelle Erhardt and Michael Mulryan

Past is Prologue is a humanities podcast that provides the public with the background behind the day's headlines, and offers much-needed context to understand the significance of current events that people observe around them. It seeks to contribute to the public conversation in an engaging, informative, accessible, and constructive way. It's produced by the Department of History in the College of Arts & Humanities at Christopher Newport University in Virginia. We welcome your inquiries and feedback at pastpodcast@cnu.edu.