I agree with you. Watching the spire fall was absolutely gut wrenching... seeing the flames consume it, so much history and art lost forever. I’ve been following various live-streams since 7:30pm and the whole experience felt surreal. As if something has... ended. Pretty much my whole evening I’ve been feeling numb and shocked at the same time.

However. I feel this is important to point out; after midnight, when the fire has been finally contained, pictures of the interior started surfacing. And behold; amid the ruins, ashes, falling embers and dust the alter and the cross remained unharmed, standing tall. Make of that what you will, but I don’t believe in coincidences.