The crown of thorns returns to the cathedral after the re-opening

An ancient relic that some say was placed on the head of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion has returned to Notre Dame five years after it was rescued from a fire that devastated the cathedral in Paris.

The Crown of Thorns, which is a skull wheel encased in a crystal and gold tube, was returned to the newly restored cathedral in a ceremony overseen by the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich.

The crown was purchased by King Louis IX of France in Constantinople in 1239 for 135,000 livres – almost half of France’s annual expenditure at the time.

Originally kept in Sainte-Chapelle, it was moved to the Treasury of Notre-Dame in 1806, where it remained until a fire engulfed the 850-year-old building.

Firefighters and police became a lifeline to save the relic and other historical artifacts in the cathedral.

The fire destroyed the wooden interiors of the cathedral and its spire.

The crown, which at one time was kept in the Louvre the famous cathedral was thoroughly renovatedwas placed in the newly built reliquary instead of the 1806 reliquary.

The ceremony of his return was led by a procession, in which members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, a Catholic order of chivalry, took part.

The crown of thorns will be shown to the public from January 10, according to French media.

According to the Bible, the crown of thorns was used by Jesus’ captors to hurt him and mock his claims to authority.

The cathedral reopened its doors to the public on December 8 following extensive restoration work that reportedly cost €700m (£582m) and involved around 2,000 masons, carpenters, restorers, insurers, foundries, art historians, sculptors and engineers. .

Its opening ceremony it was attended by world leaders. Speaking at the event, French President Emmanuel Macron said of the restoration: “We must cherish this lesson of fragility, humility and will.”