'Crown of Thorns' returns to Notre Dame Cathedral for public veneration

PARIS (AP) — An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” returned Friday to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, five years after it was saved from the flames of the medieval monument's devastating 2019 fire.

The crown — a circular band of branches encased in a gilded golden tube — was brought back to its historic home in a ceremony presided over by the archbishop of Paris and attended by knights and dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, marking a key moment in the cathedral’s restoration journey.

The relic was first mentioned by Jerusalem pilgrims in the 5th century before being transferred to Constantinople in the 10th century. In 1239, it was acquired by King Louis IX of France, who brought it to Paris and housed it at Notre Dame before commissioning the Sainte-Chapelle for its safekeeping. It was later returned to Notre Dame.

During the fire that consumed much of Notre Dame on April 15, 2019, the Crown of Thorns was preserved in a sealed case alongside other relics. Firefighters’ quick actions ensured the survival of those treasures.

Starting Jan. 10, the Crown of Thorns will be displayed for public veneration every Friday until April 18, culminating on Good Friday. Afterward, it will be shown on the first Friday of each month.

Clergymen and Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher attend a ceremony as an ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich leans at the ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher arrive with the "Crown of Thorns" as the ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Clergymen arrive as an ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

The ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is presented during a procession as it is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

The ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is presented as it is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

The ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is presented during a procession as it is returning to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

Clergymen and knights of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher watch the ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" in Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

The ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is seen in its reliquary as it returns to Notre Dame Cathedral, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)

FILE - The reliquary of the Crown of Thorns designed by French artist Sylvain Dubuisson is pictured during the ceremony in Notre Dame Cathedral, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris. An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame, nearly five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire. ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File)

FILE - The crown of thorns relic believed to have been worn by Jesus Christ is displayed on the altar during a Good Friday veneration at the St Germain l'Auxerrois church in Paris, Friday, April 2, 2021. An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ's "Crown of Thorns" is returning to Notre Dame, nearly five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral's devastating 2019 fire. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris “wrote off rural America" during the 2024 presidential campaign and failed to attack Donald Trump with sufficient “negative firepower," according to a long-awaited post-election autopsy released on Thursday by the Democratic National Committee.

The committee's chair, Ken Martin, shared the 192-page report only after facing intense internal pressure from frustrated Democratic operatives concerned with his leadership. Martin had originally promised to release the autopsy, only to keep it under wraps for months because he was concerned it would be a distraction ahead of the midterms as Democrats mobilize to take back control of Congress.

On Tuesday, Martin apologized for his handling of the situation and conceded that the report was withheld because it “was not ready for primetime."

Although the autopsy criticizes Democrats' focus on “identity politics,” it sidesteps some of the most controversial elements of the 2024 campaign. The report does not address former President Joe Biden’s decision to seek reelection, the rushed selection of Harris to replace him on the ticket or the party's acrimonious divide over the war in Gaza.

“I am not proud of this product; it does not meet my standards, and it won’t meet your standards,” Martin wrote in an essay on Substack on Thursday. “I don’t endorse what’s in this report, or what’s left out of it. I could not in good faith put the DNC’s stamp of approval on it. But transparency is paramount.”

A spokesperson for Harris did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The initial reaction from Democratic operatives was a mix of bafflement and anger over Martin's handling of the situation.

“Why not say this in 2024, or bring in more people to finish it, instead of turning this into the dumbest media cycle for 7-8 months?” Democratic strategist Steve Schale wrote on social media.

The postelection report, which was authored by Democratic consultant Paul Rivera, calls for “a renewed focus on the voters of Middle America and the South, who have come to believe they are not included in the Democratic vision of a stronger and more dynamic America for everyone.”

“Millions of Americans are suffering from poor access to healthcare, manufacturing and job losses, and a failing infrastructure, yet continue to be persuaded to vote against their best interests because they do not see themselves reflected in the America of the Democratic Party,” the report says.

The autopsy points to a reduction in support and training for Democratic state parties, voter registration shifts and “a persistent inability or unwillingness to listen to all voters.”

Thursday's release comes as Martin confronts a crisis of confidence among party officials who are increasingly concerned about the health of their political machine barely a year into his term. Some Democratic operatives have had informal discussions about recruiting a new chair, even though most believe that Martin’s job wasn't in serious jeopardy ahead of the midterm elections.

The report found that Harris and her allies failed to focus enough on Trump's negatives, especially his felony convictions. This was part of a broader criticism that Democrats' messaging is too focused on reason and winning arguments, “even in cycles when the electorate is defined by rage.”

“There was a decision in the 2024 Democratic leadership not to engage in negative advertising at the scale required,” the report states. “The Trump campaign and supportive Super PACs went full throttle against Vice President Harris, but there was not sufficient or similar negative firepower directed at Trump by Democrats.”

The report continues: “It was essential to prosecute a more effective case as to why Trump should have been disqualified from ever again taking office. The grounds were there, but the messaging did not make the case.”

Trump's attack on Harris' transgender policies were cited as a key contrast.

Specifically, the report suggested the Democratic nominee was “boxed” in by the Trump campaign's “very effective” ad that highlighted Harris' previous statement of support for taxpayer-funded gender-affirming surgeries for prison inmates.

Democratic pollsters believed that “if the Vice President would not change her position – and she did not – then there was nothing which would have worked as a response," the report said.

The report criticized Harris' outreach to key segments of America while condemning the party's focus on “identity politics.”

“Harris wrote off rural America, assuming urban/suburban margins would compensate. The math doesn’t work,” the report says. “You can’t lose rural areas by overwhelming margins and make it up elsewhere when rural voters are a significant share of the electorate. If Democrats are to reclaim leadership in the Heartland or the South, candidates must perform well in rural turf. Show up, listen, and then do it again.”

The report also references Democrats' underperformance with male voters of color.

“Male voters require direct engagement. The gender gap can be narrowed. Deploy male messengers, address economic concerns, and don’t assume identity politics will hold male voters of color,” it says.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event about loosening a federal refrigerant rule, in the Oval Office at the White House, Thursday, May 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Former Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a fireside chat on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)

FILE - Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at DNC headquarters, Jan. 12, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)