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Thousands pray for Paris terror victims at Notre Dame cathedral

Parisians of all ages attended the Sunday mass held at Notre Dame cathedral to pray for the victims of Friday's terror attacks.

Paris Terrorist Attack: Why The Terrorists Terrorized Charlie Hebdo Magazine: Burning Reports: Topics, Issues, Current Events & More

Parisians of all ages attended the Sunday mass held at Notre Dame cathedral to pray for the victims of Friday's terror attacks.

Paris: The Novel

Paris Terrorist Attack: Why The Terrorists Terrorized Charlie Hebdo Magazine: Burning Reports: Topics, Issues, Current Events & More Scores of French people gathered at Notre Dame cathedral to pay homage to the victims of the terrorist attack in Paris which killed over 150 people. Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

On Sunday evening, when the doors of the historic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris opened for the first time since the Friday terror attacks, thousands of people gathered at the mass being held to remember the victims who were killed in the assault claimed by the Islamic State terrorist group.

People head to the Notre Dame cathedral to attend the mass held for the victims of Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris on Sunday. Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Paris Terrorist Attack: Why The Terrorists Terrorized Charlie Hebdo Magazine: Burning Reports: Topics, Issues, Current Events & More

A large crowd gathered outside the Notre Dame cathedral for the evening mass on Sunday. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images

Paris Terrorist Attack: Why The Terrorists Terrorized Charlie Hebdo Magazine: Burning Reports: Topics, Issues, Current Events & More Paris: The Novel

The evening mass was filled to the brim with people, many of whom travelled from distant areas especially to attend the ceremony. In view of such a large gathering, especially after the terror attacks, security was high with police vans lining the streets surrounding the cathedral while armed officers rifled through bags.

Although security officials kept a tight watch, with the sound of sirens often louder than that of the church bells, there were several tense moments.

Halfway into the mass, residents at Place de la Republique panicked after firecrackers were reportedly set off. Another false alarm was raised in the Marais district near the cathedral.

Paris Terrorist Attack: Why The Terrorists Terrorized Charlie Hebdo Magazine: Burning Reports: Topics, Issues, Current Events & More

The Notre Dame cathedral ahead of the Sunday mass for victims of Friday's terror attacks. Photograph: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

On getting the news, a few people left midway nervously while most of the others, oblivious to the alarms, carried on with their prayers. 

Paris: The Novel

People of all ages attended the evening mass at Notre Dame cathedral in remembrance of the victims of Friday's terrorist attacks. Photograph: David Ramos/Getty Images

The rest of the service passed without a hitch, and was a sombre and dignified affair.

Paris Terrorist Attack: Why The Terrorists Terrorized Charlie Hebdo Magazine: Burning Reports: Topics, Issues, Current Events & More People who attended the mass agreed that it was a moving service which ended with a short rendition of 'La Marseillaise', the French national anthem.