PARIS (LifeSiteNews) — French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing ahead with his plan to replace historic windows at Notre Dame despite public opposition.

In December, the Grand Palais in Paris showcased the window designs of modern artist Claire Tabouret, whose new stain-glassed windows are scheduled to replace the Gothic designs at Notre-Dame Cathedral in 2026 under the direction of Macron.

“The president of the republic has decided on his own, without any regard for the heritage law or Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, to replace the stained glass windows,” a petition launched by La Tribune de l’Art against the change states.

“How can it be justified to restore stained glass windows that survived the disaster and then immediately remove them?” it questioned. “Who gave the head of state a mandate to alter a cathedral that does not belong to him, but to everyone?”

“Contemporary stained glass windows have their place in ancient architecture when the original ones have disappeared,” the petition asserted. “They are not intended to replace works that already exist.”

The controversy began in 2019 after the fire that destroyed Notre-Dame’s roof and spire. At the time, Macron pledged to rebuild the cathedral with a “contemporary gesture” to mark the era. His plans included replacing six of the seven 19th-century grisaille-stained glass windows in the south nave chapels.

The current windows were designed in the Gothic style by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc during his 19th-century restoration. These windows were undamaged by the fire, cleaned, restored, and classified as historic monuments.

In contrast to the intricate detailing of the current windows, the new designs appear gaudy, with bright colors and abstract figures depicting the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Petitions against the renovation have gathered over 325,000 signatures, calling it a vanity project to let Macron “leave his mark.”

Furthermore, the National Commission for Heritage and Architecture unanimously opposed it in 2024, and legal challenges were filed.