CONTEMPORARY PERIOD
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Les verrières de Jacques Le Chevallier
© Gérard Boullay
Windows by Jacques Le Chevalier © Gérard Boullay Fortunately, the two world wars spared the cathedral.
In 1965, there was an end to the 30 years of intense debates over whether to replace the nave’s 19th century grisaille windows with colour windows.
In the end, master glassworker Jacques Le Chevallier was selected to make these windows, non-figurative grisailles with splashes of colour. This idea matched the bright atmosphere that would have been used in the 13th century.
Between 1990 and 1992, the great organ, which in the 20th century doubtlessly became the world’s most famous, underwent major restoration work done by a group of French organ builders.
Since 2000 (the last year of major cleaning work on the west façade, which lasted over ten years), thanks to the talents and techniques of the Historical Monuments restorers, it has been possible to admire the splendour of this jewel of medieval architecture.
To meet the imperatives of the Second Vatican Council, the clergy refurbished the liturgical platform several times. The last changes, made in 2004, under cardinal-archbishop Jean-Marie Lustiger, included the recreation of the passage between the two transepts and rearranged the site to fully bring the choir and the nave together so that they now form a single unit during liturgical celebrations.
The cathedral is now more than ever a part of our culture. It is more than just a museum, and serves, as it has from the beginning, as the House of God and the Home of Men, its influence always remaining current.