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New York City's iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral will close to the public today as preparations begin for the installation of Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks as the 11th Archbishop of New York.
The cathedral announced it will close following the 8 a.m. Mass on Thursday and remain closed through Friday for the installation ceremonies. Normal operations will resume Saturday. The formal installation will take place during a special Mass at 2 p.m. Friday, when Archbishop Hicks, 57, will officially succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is retiring after nearly 17 years leading the archdiocese. The transition comes as Pope Leo XIV accepted Cardinal Dolan's resignation, submitted upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75.
During Friday's ceremony, the Pope's official letter appointing Hicks will be read aloud by the apostolic nuncio, followed by Hicks formally accepting the appointment and taking his seat at the cathedra, the archbishop's chair that symbolizes his leadership.
"I love Jesus with my mind, heart, and soul. And I strive to love my neighbor as myself," Hicks said during his introduction last December, where he also joked about being a Cubs fan who loves deep dish pizza.
The installation events will begin Thursday evening with a Solemn Vespers service at 5 p.m. Both the Vespers and Installation Mass are ticketed events not open to the public, with tight security expected due to the attendance of high-profile guests and religious leaders.
Archbishop Hicks comes to New York from the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, bringing what the Vatican describes as "a deep blend of pastoral, academic, and administrative experience." His background includes missionary work in Central America and fluency in Spanish—valuable skills for leading an archdiocese of more than 2 million Catholics across New York City and surrounding counties.
Cardinal Dolan, who will transition to the role of archbishop emeritus, has indicated he will remain active in church duties, including responsibilities as part of the college of cardinals.
The cathedral has announced that normal activities and Mass schedules will resume on Saturday morning, along with public access to the cathedral.
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