Anne Catherine Emmerich and Notre Dame

I'm reading Anne Catherine's visions, and came across this last night, just in the ordinary course of my reading:

"I had a vision of a church with a high, elaborate tower, in a great city on a mighty river. The patron of the church is St. Stephen, by whom I saw another saint who was martyred after him. Around the church I saw many very distinguished people, among them some strangers with aprons and trowels who appeared about to pull down the church with the beautiful tower and slate roof. People from all parts were gathered there, among them priests and even religious, and I was so distressed that I called to my Lord for assistance. Xavier with the cross in his hand had once been all powerful, the enemy ought not to be allowed to triumph now! Then I saw five men going into the church, three in heavy antique vestments like priests, and two very young ecclesiastics who seemed to be in Holy Orders. I thought these two received Holy Communion, and that they were destined to infuse new life into the Church.

Suddenly a flame burst from the tower, spread over the roof, and threatened to consume the whole church. I thought of the great river flowing by the city--could they not extinguish the flames with its waters? The fire injured many who aided in the destruction of the church and drove them away, but the edifice itself remained standing, by which I understood that the Church would be saved only after a great storm."

I was confused by the reference to St. Stephen (surely Our Lady is the patroness of Notre Dame, right?) until I researched it and found that, indeed, Notre Dame de Paris was originally consecrated to St. Stephen, and the door which faces the Université is still called the St. Stephen Portal.

There is clearly also a symbolic meaning to this vision, applying to the Catholic Church metaphorically. But that doesn't preclude the literal vision being true as well, just as the fact that the Exodus and entrance in to the Promised Land are symbolic of salvation in Christ, but also literally happened in history.

Incidentally, the Visions are fascinating. Perhaps the most fascinating thing I have ever read.