AN EXPERT AT UNM IS WEIGHING IN ON THE DEVASTATING FIRE AT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN PARIS. DR. TIMOTHY GRAHAM IS A PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND MEDIEVAL STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY, AND TELLS NEWSRADIO KKOB THE CATHEDRAL IS ABSOLUTELY TIED TO FRENCH IDENTITY. HE SAYS THE BUILDING IS ICONIC IN THE FRENCH CONSCIOUSNESS AND TO SEE IT COME DOWN IS A MAJOR PART OF FRENCH HISTORY DISAPPEARING BEFORE OUR EYES.
GRAHAM SAYS, AS FAR AS HE KNOWS, IMPORTANT RELICS INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL, LIKE CHRIST’S CROWN OF THORNS AND PART OF THE CRUCIFIXION CROSS, ARE SAFE. HE SAYS THE CATHEDRAL HAD SUFFERED DAMAGE BEFORE DURING THE REFORMATION AND AGAIN DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
