Paris, Notre Dame: The statues on the spire, removed four days before the fire, are back. "It was a miracle."

The last of the 16 statues that historically adorn the base of the spire of the Basilica of Notre Dame in Paris returned home today. Like the other 15, it was saved—a miracle, one might say, and indeed has been—from the fire that devastated one of the symbols of Paris and France on April 15, 2019. The works, in fact, had been removed four days before the disaster for a scheduled restoration, thus saving themselves from the flames and their consequences.

After being blessed by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, this representation of Saint Thomas, measuring three meters and weighing just over 100 kg, was hauled up by a massive crane in the early hours of the morning. "It's a very powerful symbol to see all the statues up there, because they are almost the only survivors of the spire, along with the rooster (which, however, had been severely damaged)," Marie-Hélène Didier, general curator of heritage and curator of historic monuments at the Île-de-France Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs, told Agence France Presse. Removed from their location to be transferred to the Dordogne for restoration on April 11, 2019, the 16 statues, as mentioned, were saved from the flames. "It's almost a miracle," Didier added.

Still hidden by the spire's scaffolding, they will be fully visible at the end of August, after it is dismantled. Designed in 1857 by Viollet-le-Duc, the spire's architect, and sculpted by Adolphe-Victor Geoffroy-Dechaume, these statues with a copper-plated bronze patina represent the twelve apostles and the symbols of the four evangelists (the lion, the bull, the angel, and the eagle). Viollet-le-Duc also depicted Saint Thomas, the patron saint of architects, in his image.