Replace the pair of crosses at Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral with gold-plated solid steel

(NLDO)- The old pair of crosses on top of the bell tower of the 129-year-old Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral has been replaced by two new gold-plated crosses weighing 600 kg, crafted in Belgium.

Recently, Father Ignatius Ho Van Xuan, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, had a meeting to inform about the major restoration project of Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City).

Father Ignatius Ho Van Xuan said that to celebrate Christmas this year, Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral has put on more than 500,000 meters of decorative lights, attracting a lot of public attention.

This year the lights were strung across the entire church, paving the way for future plans to illuminate the sanctuary. Last year, the lights were only strung on the two facade towers.

Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral sparkles before Christmas; Photo: CHI NGUYEN

The General Representative of the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City also informed about the replacement of the 129-year-old pair of crosses on top of the bell tower. The two new gold-plated crosses, nearly 4 meters high and weighing 600 kg, will be crafted in Belgium.

According to Mr. Ghislain Clarebout, senior expert on structure and restoration of Monument Group (the unit in charge of restoring Notre Dame Cathedral), the gilding will provide better protection for the two new Crosses.

Initially, the construction unit planned to keep the old crosses for restoration, but when checking the actual condition, the old crosses were damaged from the inside.

Two cylindrical lilies, made of zinc and plated with gold, will decorate the Cross at Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral (Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese).

Ghislain Clarebout also said that the new cross will be made from solid steel instead of the previous design of each piece. The thickness of the two new crosses will also be increased to avoid corrosion.

The restoration committee also designed a decorative base for the Cross with two lilies over 50 cm high. These two flowers are cylindrical, made of zinc, gilded with gold, and surrounded by many curved petals.

The project to renovate the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral began in July 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2023. The project is invested by the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City and undertaken by Monument Group (Belgium). The renovation costs are self-funded by the Archdiocese of Saigon with the help of parishioners, people in the country and those residing abroad.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the project's progress due to the complicated pandemic period, making it difficult to import some materials for renovation and restoration. Meanwhile, most of the materials for the project are imported from abroad (Belgium, France, Germany).

The major renovation project of Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, and the fence surrounding the existing structure will be removed.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/thay-cap-thanh-gia-o-nha-tho-duc-ba-sai-gon-bang-thep-nguyen-khoi-ma-vang-196241212164222917.htm