Minneapolis basilica prays for Paris after Notre-Dame fire

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Watching so much history and tradition burn at Notre-Dame has had a profound impact on people around the globe. Here in Minnesota, people gathered at the Basilica of Saint Mary to pray for France and pay tribute to Notre-Dame.

On Sunday night, Minnesota man Tom Oszman snapped a selfie at Notre-Dame – only to see it burning the next day.

Oszman said he was shocked when it went up in flames and said the mood in Paris changed very palpably, very quickly.

Outside the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis - a cathedral whose French architect took design cues from Notre-Dame - parishioners gathered in shock.  

“I’ve been to Paris a couple times, and each time I went to mass for a total of seven times,” said Tom Beutell of Edina. “Everything on the inside, they’ll rebuild, but it’s not going to be the same, of course. Some history is lost, but the best thing about being there is you have the memory and the pictures.”

The Archbishop of Paris asked cathedrals across the world to ring their bells as a call to pray for Notre-Dame. So, the basilica chimed on.

“One of the ways we respond is with prayer, so that’s why we decided to offer this opportunity for people to come together and pray for the people in Paris,” said Johan Van Parys with the Basilica of Saint Mary.