Should Notre-Dame cathedral charge an admission fee?

The most famous cathedral in the world, Notre-Dame in Paris, is contemplating an admission fee when it reopens in December.

- Tyler Cowen

For believers, the question is sacrilegious. When should a church charge an admission fee? After all, a church is where many people go to be with God. It is a place of refuge. And it should be open to all, regardless of wealth. If Satan tempts, a church is a sanctuary.

And yet the most famous cathedral in the world, Notre-Dame in Paris, is contemplating an admission fee when it reopens in December. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati has argued for a fee of €5 (S$7.10), saying it would raise €75 million, which would be enough to "save all the churches in Paris and France". That might be seen as a religious priority, especially given the country's fiscal difficulties.

The Catholic Church opposes the plan, citing a 1905 law stipulating that churches must stay open to the public for free. The government says charging "cultural visitors" is permissible, provided they are not there for religious services.