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French revolution was almost fatal for Notre Dame, being the symbol of medieval religious obscurantism and the too flamboyant vestige of the Ancient Regime. Boosted by the new laws (seizure of clerical property by the nation, civil Constitution), excited by the extremist anti-clericalism of certain revolutionaries, vandals and looters of all kind destroyed, stole and everything to their content. First the exterior of the cathedral was attacked: beheading of the kings of Juda, destruction of the statues placed in the portals, etc… The spire rising above the transept crossing point was torn down as “opposite equality”.
Then the inside of the cathedral had to suffer. Since 1790, no mass was ever given and the nave was transformed into a wine depot of the republic’s armies. Cult objects, declared as useless, were sent to the Mint department to be melted and recycled in canons, arms and ammunition: the clock bells in 1791, the lead off the archbishop coffins in 1792, etc….Art objects were sold to finance the Revolution wars….or enrich the most cynical chiefs. Luckily, the painter Alexandre Lenoir succeeded in 1790 to put a lot of masterpieces into security, far away from the furious mob: statues, golden objects, tapestries.
The demolition of the cathedral was even decided at a certain moment but the Convention finally decided to dedicate Notre Dame to the cult of goddess “Raison” (Reason, good judgment). A celebration to inaugurate the “Raison “against slavery of fanatism” took place on 20 Brumaire Anno II (10th November 1793) at Notre Dame. Replacing the altar, an antique temple, dedicated to Philosophy, was built with the decors of the Paris Opera. At the entrance of this temple, a statue of Liberty but above all, a throne where a certain Mlle Aubry, opera dancer, sat as the goddess Reason. She was dressed in a white robe, blue coat and Phrygian cap. Every time she appeared a “Hymne à la Liberté” was sung by a choral of young girls in impeccable dresses, on a text by Marie-Joseph Chénier and the score of Gossec:
“Come down, o Liberty, daughter of Nature
The people recovered its natural power…
On the pompous debris of antique imposture
His hands lift up your altar!”

It was waiting until Easter 1802 to hear the great bell of Notre Dame again over Paris and that the cathedral returned to religious cult. Thanks to the Concordat signed between the pope Pius VII and an ex-revolutionary general who became First Consul (waiting for better!): Napoleon Bonaparte!……

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