On the recent Notre Dame Cathedral fire in Paris, Barack Obama's and President Donald Trump's reactions were thoroughly disparate.
As world leaders expressed their emotional responses to the recent fire that ravaged the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris Monday, April 15, it was noted that former president Barack Obama and incumbent United States President Donald Trump showed somewhat different reactions.
Obama showed his grief by condoling with the French nation even as he shared a message of hope in rebuilding the great monument to humanity "as strong" as is possible.
In his Tweet, he referred to the French monument as one of the "great treasures" of mankind. In a hopeful note, he also pointed out that, while it is in people to have a capacity to "mourn" the great loss, therein is also the "nature to rebuild" for the future generations, in as "strong" a manner possible.
His touching tribute was accompanied by a photograph of himself, his wife Michelle, and his daughters, Sasha and Malia, lighting candles at the said cathedral during a previous visit.
In sharp contrast, President Trump gave a candid but rather dispassionate reaction to the news.
He was quoted as saying that it was a "terrible" fire which was a sight that "like few people" have seen so far. He made an observation that the fire burned in a manner "rarely" seen in fires. He referred to the Notre Dame as a world's "great" treasure built by just as great artists. He made the observation that the cathedral looked like it was "burning to the ground."
Trump referred to the inferno as being "horrible to watch" and suggested that "perhaps" the fire could be put out by "flying water tankers" that must act "quickly."
This comment was seen on social media as quite bewildering, but he later tweeted "God bless" the French people.
Other world leaders and prominent figures also reacted to the news. Michelle Obama was wistful, remembering the "majesty" of one of the finest existing examples of the French Gothic style architecture. She made mention of how the structure had taken her "breath away" when she saw it the first time as teenager. Michelle expressed her sadness over the sight of the burning structure but was hopeful that Notre Dame would "awe us again."
The former United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, also went on Twitter to share her grief saying that "her heart" went out to Paris and stated that the edifice will continue being a "symbol" of how humanity is able to "unite" for a loftier purpose.
Queen Elizabeth also reached out to "all of France" saying that she and Prince Phillip were "deeply saddened" having seen the pictures of the fire ravaging the said church.
Pope Francis shared his prayers for the people who were "striving" to get a handle on the "tragic situation."
As for the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, his tweet Monday evening had a hopeful but daunting note which expressed that it was the "French destiny" to take on the reconstruction of the Notre Dame "all together."
The picture though which proved most impactful was the image of people standing around the site, shared in a video (by journalist Ignacio Gil), singing the Ave Maria.
The Notre Dame (meaning, "Our Lady of Paris") Cathedral is consecrated to the Virgin Mary and was built starting 1160, and the structure was mostly completed in 1260. Throughout the centuries, it was modified numerous times, and suffered the greatest desecration during the French Revolution in the 1790s.
This latest incident was said to have been caused by a fire stemming from some construction being done on the site, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.
