On 15 April 2019, shortly before 18:50 CEST, a fire broke out in the roof of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, causing significant damage to the building. The cathedral’s spire and roof collapsed, and considerable damage was sustained to the interior, upper walls, and windows of the church, as well as numerous works of art. However, the stone ceiling vault beneath the roof prevented most of the fire from falling into the interior of the cathedral below.
The fire at the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris has stunned the world. It was heart-breaking to watch how this cultural and historical treasure was tragically engulfed by fire sending waves of sorrow far beyond the French Capital city.
When events like this happen, they raise questions for astrologers who seek for an explanation of happenings in the stars. Very often the first question to appear is “Why now?”
Let’s start examining astrological interpretations of this event using an approximate “date of birth” of the Cathedral itself. According to the chronicler Jean de Saint-Victor, the construction of Notre-Dame began between 24 March and 25 April in 1163. The laying of the cornerstone was done in the presence of King Louis VII and Pope Alexander III.
An Astrologer Tara Green looked at an Ephemeris for the year of 1163 and found some amazing synchronicities to the construction of Notre Dame and the fire of April 15, 2019.
- The North of the Fate of the Moon was at 19 Cancer for construction chart and 21 Cancer in 2019.
- The South Node from 1163 was exactly conjunct to present day Saturn, so in a sense this event can be viewed as karmically fated.
- Mars, the planet of fire, was in Aries at 27 degrees in 1163 squaring Pluto, Saturn, and the Nodes and conjunct to 2019’s Uranus, the shocking awakener, in Taurus.
- Pluto was at 10 degrees Gemini in 1163 exactly conjunct to Mars now.
- Neptune, the planet of spirituality, religion, and faith was in Sagittarius 24-28 degrees which is where the Galactic Center is, and this is exactly where Jupiter is now.
Tara Green, April 16 2019
Events of far reaching destruction and change are generally driven by outer planets – Neptune, Pluto, Jupiter, Saturn, and (especially) Uranus. Timing of the events is triggered by inner planets – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Sun, and Moon.
Looking at the outer planets, using 5-degree orb or less, there is a hard aspect, a square, between a Pluto-Saturn conjunction in Capricorn and the Sun in Aries. Saturn is the planet of karma and slow, difficult growth. Pluto is a planet of transformation, rebirth, and inevitable change. This difficult and very profound conjunction can shake the core and create transformative events. These transformative events are happening right now in personal lives of people as well as in the world in general. Since these planets are squaring the Sun in a fire sign ruled by Mars (!) with its might to strike fire directly, this configuration generates fierce fiery energy resistance.
While squares generate energy through resistance, there has to be accommodating aspects for that energy to be expressed or released. In this case I think, Uranus comes in for a rapid expression and release of that energy. Uranus is the planet most associated with sudden, disruptive change, and on April 15 its power was “favored” by the trine with the Moon, the planet closest to the Earth. The time of the event shows that Uranus was in the 8th house, the house of spiritual and mystical affairs and also the house of death and re-birth. Besides this 8th house deals with other people’s money if we take into consideration significant donations that came forth for rebuilding of the Cathedral. Uranus is in the sign of Taurus, the sign of physicality, the producer of tangible results.
Looking at other inner planets- Mercury moves direct in Aries in a conjunction with Chiron, the Wounded Healer and Teacher. Mars is in a house of religion and philosophy is in a sign of Mercury, The Messenger.
Things are reaching their culmination when the full moon is in its last degree (29) of a sign. Events that happen around this time often highlight major endings or completions. The Full Moon of April 19 was at 29 degrees Libra. Libra is an air sign, and we know what happens when fire and air are fused. Libra, the Scales, also represents seeking for truth, standing for justice and taking back all the power that has been stolen or wrongly given.
It is a little-known historical fact that below the cathedral there is an ancient pagan city. The Île-de-la-Cité on which Notre-Dame de Paris now stands was once a Gallo-Roman city known as Lutetia. When ancient artifacts (more than 1,700 of them) were excavated from beneath the site of Notre Dame, archeologists concluded that the cathedral may have been built right over remnants of a pagan temple dedicated to Jupiter and other deities.
Looking at the Sabian symbols – the placement of Uranus, the 2nd degree of Taurus, is marked by a symbol “An Electrical Storm.” It is “the cosmic power able to transform all the implications of natural existence… and the experience of power can both illuminate and shatter.” I think this symbol resonates with Mercury-Chiron conjunction – learning and healing through painful experience.
A trine between Jupiter and the Sun are both in their home fire signs. Jupiter is in its home, Sagittarius – another fire sign, and it squares a Mercury-Venus conjunction, which creates one more powerful pocket of energy tensions that could ignite Uranus.
Going back to Sabian symbols to find the symbol for the Ascendant of the event: the symbol for the 6th degree Libra is “A man watches his ideals taking a concrete form before his inner vision.” What struck me in this symbol that its interpretation begins with a French proverb. French proverb (!) How many French proverbs are in those 360 symbols? I think it is the only one.
The proverb says, “What is well conceived can easily be formulated.” ….. Also, “inner vision” suggests “a clear lens through which the Mind of Man (or God) can be projected without distortion wherever needed,” gives us some more depth to the event interpretation especially in the context of the modern French and European political/historical developments.
The Sabian symbol of Saturn’s placement is “A hidden choir is singing during a religious service” (20 degree of Capricorn). The symbol’s interpretation starts by saying, “In great cathedrals the choir is normally hidden behind the altar or above the nave” in order to create an effect of music from “heaven.” (When I first read the symbol’s description, I mis-read the word “nave” and took it as “naïve” – quite an interesting coincidence.) Needless to say that Notre Dame is one of the greatest Catholic cathedrals, and for centuries its choir and organ were creating godly music and healing vibrations for millions of its visitors. To me, this symbol can also suggest that there are some “hidden forces” who orchestrated the event to appear (for the naïves) as if it started on its own or on God’s will.” The fact that the causes of the fire are still unknown can lay a foundation for new conspiracy theories.
The burning of Notre Dame occurred at the start of the Catholic Holy Week leading up to Easter. This holiday celebrates the resurrection of Christ, but originally this time of the year was a pagan holiday named after the goddess Ostara or Eostre. She was the goddess who represented the return of light, sun shine, and spring. (The words Ostara, Eostre, Easter, and East all have the same root.) So, originally Eostre was the name of the pagan festival celebrating the goddess of light which was later, as some say, “stolen” by Christian Easter. Whether this fire was deliberate or a weird accident, its astrological signature and symbolism are truly amazing!
And finally, the church is considered female as Notre Dame literally means “Our Lady,” and often referred to as “She.” Symbolically, this tragedy could mean the return of the Divine Feminine. Our Lady, the Great Mother, is the one this cathedral is dedicated to. Continued on this note, the fire can mark a beginning of a transformation of the old Patriarchal system. It can be viewed as a punishment for the corruption of the Catholic Church, the destruction of indigenous people and their cultures, for torturing and burning thousands and thousands of pagans in the inquisition – many of who were women. This event can symbolize purging of old structures and systems and resurrecting our faith in The Mother, faith in MOTHER EARTH with its pure, simple, abundant wisdom and divine spirituality.
K. Belik
