Notre-Dame burns - but what does it mean?
As I watch my Facebook-feed turn into a series of posts conveying sympathy, solidarity and sadness on the occasion of the fire in Notre-Dame, I can not help but ask myself: where and why does this outpouring come from? What is this special meaning of a cathedral in the heart of Paris burning that triggers greater activity within my own social and cultural bubble than, say, a terror attack in St. Petersburg, the collapse of Cologne's city archive, the looting of museums after the invasion of Iraq. For not wanting to diminish anyone's emotion - those who have visited historical sites across Europe both secular and religious are likely to recall how numerous times they were told that this building or that perished in a fire, an assault, a landslide - and was rebuilt or restored to be enjoyed by future generations. Image credits: Nivenn Lanos, unsplash.com So what is behind the fear of losing the iconic landmark of Notre-Dame? I have a theory. And that is that...