Notre Dame Cathedral hosts reopening ceremony after 2019 fire

The French president and his wife, Brigitte, have arrived at the cathedral.

American carpenter Hank Silver is one of the lucky invited guests inside Notre Dame tonight. He helped rebuild the nave wooden framework of the rooftop.

Silver said there is a lot of excitement in the air. The people around him are “thrilled and emotional” to be part of this opening celebration, he added.

Elon Musk is here in Paris tonight. The tech billionaire and close Trump ally did not travel with the president-elect, according to a spokesperson for the presidential transition.

The guest list includes members of the French political elite, French millionaires and famous French actors. There are also humble representatives of every Paris parish and charities supporting the homeless or physically disabled.

Outside the Notre Dame and across the Seine, a growing crowd of admirers have gathered in a designated fan zone, braving the rain and strong winds to watch the reopening unfold on large screens erected ahead of the event.

“I’ve been watching over the last couple of years the developments the spire going up and the scaffolding coming down,” said one Paris resident, Karen Jakobson.

“It’s an incredibly beautiful building and I guess I’m glad France took it upon itself to restore it to its former glory,” said Jakobson, 58.

The outgoing French Prime Minister Michel Barnier is under an outdoor tent receiving guests as they stream into Notre Dame.

Hollywood actor Salma Hayek is inside with her husband, the French billionaire and retail magnate François-Henri Pinault, who donated 100 million euros (roughly $105 million) towards the restoration of the cathedral.

Trump, Zelenskyy, and Macron are set to meet in Paris at the Élysée Palace.

After a day of pretty nice weather here in Paris, the temperature is dropping, the clouds have rolled in and it’s starting to rain.

As the reopening service for the Notre Dame steadily approaches, here’s how the schedule for the proceedings is expected to unfold:

At around 6:15 p.m. local time (12:15 p.m. ET): Macron and French First Lady Brigitte Macron are expected to arrive on the cathedral’s forecourt, followed by heads of state and dignitaries.

At 7:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. ET): Macron will deliver an address honoring the Notre Dame and efforts of the past five years to rebuild the iconic cathedral.

At 7:45 p.m. (1:45 p.m. ET): The reopening service, led by the Archbishop of Paris, will begin, marking the “reawakening” of the cathedral.

Just outside the Notre Dame cathedral, final preparations are underway ahead of the grand reopening. Security measures are in place, with police, gendarmerie and army personnel patrolling the area.

A cordoned off area was already in place ahead of the arrival of royals, heads of state and dignitaries, including First lLady Jill Biden, President-elect Donald Trump and Prince William.

In the hours leading up to the Notre Dame’s reopening, the famed cathedral has rarely felt more inaccessible. Police barricades and armed officers surrounded the historic site, blocking off bridges and entryways to the landmark and L’île de la Cité.

Crowds began to gather on bridges and walkways outside the security perimeter, with onlookers snapping photos and taking in the view of the cathedral before the start of the festivities.

Speaking to reporters alongside Macron, President-elect Trump said it is an “honor” to be in Paris and back with the French leader.

“We had a good time together and we had a lot of success, really great success, working together on defense and offense, too,” Trump said.

“It certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now, and we’ll be talking about that,” he added.

Macron welcomed Trump back to the country and said he was honored to have him in Paris, thanking the president-elect for being there.