Every christmas since 1803 has Notre Dame beaten up the doors for a well-attended midnight mass. But it is not happening this year.

For the first time since 1803, there is not julemesse in Notre-Dame in Paris.

instead kept the traditional midnight mass on christmas eve in the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois in the vicinity, notify the Notre-Dames, the press office Saturday.

The 850 year old cathedral burned down in april and is being rebuilt.

for more than 200 years, the cathedral always held a fair on christmas eve, even during the two world wars.

However, has Notre Dame been forced to close its doors on christmas eve in the late 1700s and early 1800s, where the French revolution also affected the catholic church.

Large parts of the world-famous church was lost by fire in april, including the spire.

Before the fire was Notre-Dame annually visited by 13 million people.

the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, has stated that Notre Dame will be rebuilt within five years.

It is not clear yet, how much it going to cost to rebuild the cathedral.

Donors have pledged to contribute up to a total of 850 million euros, corresponding to nearly 6.4 billion dollars. It is not immediately ascertain how great a portion of the amount actually paid.

French wealthy minority promised immediately after the fire a very large amount as 100 to 200 million euros.

/ritzau/AFP