Who Is Father Fournier? New Details About The Hero Priest Who Rescued Christ's Crown Of Thorns From Notre-Dame Cathedral
He's receiving praise for his actions.
getty Just yesterday, the world watched his horror and sorrow as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris went up in flames. Around 6:50PM, the cathedral caught fire, causing the oak roof and spire to collapse. Though the extent of the damage is currently unknown, sources say the cause of the fire may have been due to the ongoing renovation work.
There is extensive damage to the upper walls, interior, windows, and works of art but the stone ceiling vault under the roof prevented the fire from spreading to the interior cathedral below, thankfully. Luckily, nobody was killed though a few firefighters suffered minor injuries.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a national fundraising campaign to restore the cathedral, with billionaire François-Henri Pinault pledging €100 million and billionaire Bernard Arnault pledging another €200 million. Patrick Pouyanne, the Bettencourt family, and Tim Cook also announced they would donate money.
In the wake of what could have been an even more major tragedy, the people of France banded together to show how united they are. And while firefighters are being rightly praised as heroes, there’s another man who is receiving thanks: Jean-Marc Fournier.
Who is Father Fournier? The Fire Brigade Chaplain rushed into the burning cathedral and rescued the Crown of Thorns, a religious relic that Jesus was rumored to have worn before his crucifixion. He also saved the Blessed Sacrament, “the devotional name for the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the form of consecrated bread and wine.”
People are calling him a saint for saving such priceless pieces of history. The Crown of Thorns was initially brought to Paris in 1238 by French King Louis IX. Other relics rescued included the statues of the 12 Apostles, and Tunic of Saint Louis.
People also formed a human chain to rescue other art pieces. A source said, “Father Fournier is an absolute hero. He showed no fear at all as he made straight for the relics inside the Cathedral, and made sure they were saved. He deals with life and death every day, and shows no fear."
But this isn’t the first time Father Fournier has been there for his people in times of tragedy. In November 2015, suicide bombers and gunman carried out several mass shootings at cafes and restaurants, the Eagles of Death Metal concert, and a football match at the Stade de France. The terrorists killed 130 people and injured 413 more. It was the deadliest attack in France since WWII.
In the wake of this insufferable tragedy, Fournier comforted victims of the terrorist attack and prayed over the dead victims of the Bataclan club massacre. At the time, he said, “I gave collective absolution, as the Catholic Church authorizes me.”
All in all, Father Fournier is a good man who is fearless and selfless. And before he worked in France, he was a Catholic priest in Germany, spent almost a decade in the armed forces diocese, and eventually moved to the Sarthe department of France. He also survived an ambush in Afghanistan when he was an army chaplain, in which 10 soldiers were killed.
The people of France are lucky to have such an amazing man on their side — one who stands up to fear and terror, and willingly risks his life again and again in an effort to make good prevail.
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who focuses on writing trending news and entertainment pieces. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.