PARIS– Notre Dame has a reopening date after a devastating fire almost destroyed the cathedral in 2019.

More than five years after the devastating fire ravaged Notre-Dame, triggering nearly $1 billion in pledged donations within days, restoration chief Philippe Jost said $140 million was still left ( approximately $148 million) funds as the cathedral prepares to reopen next month.

The surplus, from both billionaire benefactors and countless small donors, will be used to support vital future preservation work on the 861-year-old Gothic landmark.

Jost praised the generosity after the fire and the management of the restoration funds which were “entrusted to someone very attentive and professional”, he said at a press conference in Paris.

He noted that these funds will be used “in agreement with patrons and donors to carry out necessary work campaigns” as Notre Dame faces continued demands for preservation and structural integrity.

Jost also confirmed, in response to a question from The Associated Press, that the billionaire tycoons who pledged huge sums in the wake of the fire have “fully fulfilled their financial commitments” and “honored their promises made on the night of the fire or in the hours that followed.”

This has not always been certain.

Paris authorities have announced that Notre-Dame Cathedral will hold a grand reopening ceremony on December 7 after completing its extensive restoration.

In the hours and days following the fire of April 15, 2019, nearly a billion dollars was pledged by some of France’s richest personalities. Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury conglomerate LVMH, committed 200 million, matched by the Bettencourt Schueller Foundation of the L’Oréal family, while François Pinault, founder of Kering, and Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of Total, each pledged 100 million .

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However, for months, AP revealed that billionaire donors had been reluctant to transfer funds, waiting for specific restoration plans and negotiations outlining how their contributions would be used.

At first, frustration mounted, as much of the initial cleanup and consolidation work – including dusting of toxic lead and structural fortifications – had to be covered by smaller donations, mainly raised by charitable foundations of Notre-Dame in the United States and France.

The dramatic pledges also sparked an international debate, with critics questioning whether donors were motivated more by a desire for a legacy than a commitment to preserving France’s cultural heritage.

As the monument prepares for its reopening on December 8, last week was a poignant moment for Paris. A powerful prelude to the return of Notre-Dame, the north belfry – partially destroyed in the fire – saw its eight newly restored bells ring for the first time since 2019, their resonance crossing the city.