(Paris) After more than two years of work, the restored facade of the Madeleine church in Paris was officially unveiled on Wednesday, in time to restore its splendor to the building which will be a central reception place for the Catholic Church during the Olympic Games.
The project, costing around 10 million euros, enabled “monumental work, both meticulous and large-scale”, explained architect Thomas Gaudig during the reception ceremony for the work.
The project will now focus on the restoration of the rear of the building then the side facades, with completion planned “within five or six years”, according to him.
La Madeleine, designed by Napoleon Ier like a Greek temple in the center of Paris, suffered from pollution and infiltration, and for years it was surrounded by scaffolding to protect against falling rocks.
“Twenty-five years of scaffolding, it was no longer possible, we were ashamed to see these nets,” said the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo.
During the Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11), “the athletes will have their home here to pray and meditate. This place must be up to the task,” she added.
Due to the closure of Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Madeleine “will be the central place” with in particular a chapel “Our Lady of the Sportsmen” installed within the church, Isabelle de Chatellus, the director of the “Holy Games” project, set up by the Catholic Church to support the Olympic Games.
On July 19, La Madeleine will host an opening mass for the Olympic truce. It will offer various activities during the Games, with each day a mass dedicated to a different nation, cultural tours of the building, Christian pop, reggae, classical concerts, etc.
“A 50-meter athletics track will also be installed on the right side of the church, where everyone can run for their country,” according to Mr.me of Chatellus.
Beyond the Madeleine, the Church plans to get involved in the Olympics, with, among other things, an interreligious event planned for August 4 on the square in front of Notre-Dame.
She will also be present at the future interreligious center of the Olympic village with around forty chaplains, and “there are 24 Holy Games parishes in Paris, out of 37 in all in Île-de-France,” adds Ms.me of Chatellus.