The Sainte-Thérèse church in Rennes regained its spire on Wednesday May 24. Completely destroyed by a violent fire in July 2018, it was rebuilt identically and placed at the very top of the building during a delicate operation.
Its fire had deeply saddened the people of Rennes: on the night of July 31 to August 1, 2018, the spire of the Sainte-Thérèse church in Rennes, listed as a historical monument, caught fire before collapsing in a few minutes. Five years later, here it is again visible in the sky of Rennes, with its 21 meters height and its weight of 17 tons. Rebuilt identically by a local company, the spire features a new cross at its end, surmounted by a rooster.
“This animal, whose song announces the sunrise, symbolizes the passage from darkness to light. Just as the rooster announces the new day, the Christian prepares for the day when Christ will appear to all men in his light. saluted the diocese of Rennes. The set had been blessed by Mgr Pierre d’Ornellas, Archbishop of Rennes, on Sunday March 12, 2023.
Dozens of people were able to attend its installation on Wednesday, May 24, using a special crane. An operation as delicate as it is impressive, smoothly carried out by the crane operator. From now on, only the bells are expected: one of them must be replaced after being damaged by the high heat suffered during the fire. The clocks should soon be reset, also damaged by the flames.
Saved by firefighters
The fifty firefighters present on site at the time of the tragedy had prevented the rest of this building, built in the 1930s, from being affected. The exact causes of the fire are still obscure, although we can now establish its accidental nature. Already in 2001, the Sainte-Thérèse church had been ravaged by flames due to an electrical fault in the heart of the sacristy. “After two fires, we now hope that this remarkable work will remain for centuries and that the soul of the district will remain alive thanks to this exemplary and symbolic achievement in what a bell tower represents for a city”, declared Bishop d’Ornellas .
Discover in pictures how the spire was hoisted on the Sainte-Thérèse church:
2023-05-24 16:31:17
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