I could not agree more with your editorial’s sentiments about the horrific Notre Dame fire (This terrible agony for Paris, and for France, is shared by all of us, 16 April). What happened to this beautiful, iconic cathedral is not just a cataclysmic disaster for Catholics but for people across the world who revered and respected this wonderful feat of architecture and all it represented.
Today there is hope that the building will rise like the phoenix, and that Parisians – and all the men, women and children of France – will watch this reincarnation in wonder and joyful affirmation.
I agree profoundly that in this instance we are all Europeans, who saw the devastated crowds watching this inferno in silent horror and prayer, and united with them. No, we will never turn away – and perhaps this is a heartbreaking, pivotal and significant moment signalling that we should not be turning inwards in the first place; solidarity, fellow feeling and unity should be the order of service for this Holy Week and beyond in the months and years to come.
Judith Daniels
Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
• Strange world. Big fire in tower with flats, ordinary people dead – no rich person donates anything. The famous are silent. An old building with stuff in it gets burned. Rich bloke donates part of his unbelievable wealth towards its restoration.
Marc Langley
Stroud, Gloucestershire
• So far three rich businessmen have pledged money to the Notre Dame rebuilding. But surely the first donation should come from the Catholic church itself – from the fabulous wealth possessed by the Vatican.
Adrian Greeman
Tooting, London
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