For those watching helplessly as flames engulfed one of France’s most iconic monuments Monday, some wept and held hands, while others prayed. The singing of Ave Maria in front of the tragic blaze of 850-year-old Notre Dame has an incredible sadness & beauty to it. pic.twitter.com/IO5t7M4UPf — Mike Galsworthy (@mikegalsworthy) April 16, 2019As of Monday evening, a video of bystanders singing “Ave Maria” had been viewed more than 3.5 million times on Twitter. Others took to social media to express hope that France would eventually be able to rebuild all that was lost. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, although officials have suggested it is connected to the recent restoration.

Source: National Post April 16, 2019 10:18 UTC