Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral Marks 850th Anniv.; Cathedral Has Over 14 Million Visitors Each Year

Dignitaries, tourists, and Parisians gathered in the thousands yesterday for a ceremony and Mass marking the beginning of a year-long commemoration of Notre Dame Cathedral's 850th anniversary, the Huffington Post website reports today (December 13, 2012).

Archbishop Andre Vingt-Trois and Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe were among the civil and religious dignitaries taking part in last evening's events marking the beginning of the cathedral's construction in 1163.

Speaking outside the cathedral before celebrating Mass, the archbishop said Notre Dame de Paris is "a symbol for Parisians and for people across the world."

Each year, the cathedral sees over 14 million visitors. Five Masses a day are held during the week, and seven on Sunday. The building took nearly 90 years to build.