Organ and Stained Glass Windows Heavily Damaged at the Basilica of Saint-Denis
The organist of the Basilica Saint-Denis discovered that the doors of the 200-year-old organ had been broken and two stained glass windows had been smashed.
According to reports, an intruder climbed the restoration scaffolding outside the 800-year-old Gothic church and smashed stained glass windows to gain entry. The broken windows date back to the 19th century and had been restored following destruction during the French Revolution. It is suspected that the intruder then got inside the enormous organ and became stuck. The doors and engine of the organ, said to be one of the most beautiful in France, were severely damaged.
Denunciations of this incident by politicians and public figures were immediate, with the Minister of Culture calling the acts "intolerable" and attacks on French heritage. Others said it was a "sad time" when sacred places are no longer respected.
Police began an investigation and repair estimates range from 40-to 50,000 euros.
Sources: Le Parisien, France 3, and Aleteia
Photo by Schnäggli, CC BY-SA 3.0
