Watching Notre Dame burn, the entire world was in pain

The spire tumbling down in a blaze, the flames shooting out behind the familiar faiade of Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of Paris, made our throats close in anguish. French President Emmanuel Macron said his thoughts were with "all Catholics and all French people," but in fact, it felt like the entire world was in pain watching the 800-year-old building turn into a blazing inferno, on its way to becoming ashes and stones.