New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani managed to pull off a first last week — and not the good kind. For the first time in nearly a century, and possibly ever, a sitting mayor skipped the installation of the new archbishop of New York, a ceremony that has long symbolized respect for one of the city’s largest faith communities. Yes, history was made… just not the inspiring kind.
On Friday, Ronald Hicks, 58, officially became the 11th archbishop of the New York Archdiocese since 1850, taking over from Cardinal Timothy Dolan during a packed, tradition-filled ceremony at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The event was steeped in ritual and significance, marking a major moment for the Church and its millions of faithful across the region.
Since at least 1939 — when Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia attended the installation of Archbishop Francis Spellman — it has been customary for New York’s mayor to be present at these ceremonies. That tradition held through decades of political change, different parties, and different faiths. Until now.
This year, Mamdani apparently had more pressing matters than showing up to honor the new spiritual leader of roughly 2.5 million Catholics, including hundreds of thousands of his own constituents. Instead of attending, the mayor opted for a brief post on X.
“Congratulations to Archbishop Ronald Hicks on today’s installment and welcome to New York City,” Mamdani wrote.
“I know that Archbishop Hicks and I share a deep and abiding commitment to the dignity of every human being and look forward to working together to create a more just and compassionate city where every New Yorker can thrive.”
Because, of course, nothing says respect for tradition like a tweet.
City Hall initially ignored multiple attempts to explain why the mayor was absent from the ceremony, which began at 2 p.m. Only after publication did a spokesperson say Mamdani had a scheduling conflict and sent one of his deputy mayors — who is Catholic — in his place.
When pressed further, a City Hall representative summed it up with remarkable confidence: “The mayor didn’t go but he tweeted about it.” Problem solved, apparently.
The New York Catholic League was not impressed.
“Mamdani has been in office for just over a month, and already he is signaling to Catholics that they are not welcome,” the group said.
“The mayor of New York City traditionally attends the installation of the new archbishop of New York, but Mamdani — who was invited — ghosted the event.”
They also pointed out that the mayor attended an interfaith prayer breakfast at 10 a.m. that same day — just a short walk from St. Patrick’s Cathedral — making his absence all the more puzzling.
“He could easily have been there. Instead, he attended to business as usual,” the league said.
Mamdani’s public schedule listed only the prayer breakfast in the morning and a winter weather press conference at 4 p.m. No major conflicts appeared between those events and the archbishop’s installation.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is Catholic, was unable to attend because she was in Syracuse accepting her party’s nomination for another term.
Bill Cunningham, former communications director for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, called Mamdani’s decision a mistake.
“It was a missed opportunity for the mayor to show he wants to serve all the segments of the city,” Cunningham said.
“There are certain institutions the mayor of New York might want to take note of. One of them is the Catholic Church.”
Historically, mayors of all backgrounds have understood that point. Bloomberg, who is Jewish, attended Cardinal Dolan’s installation in 2009. Ed Koch, also Jewish, attended Cardinal John O’Connor’s ceremony in 1984. Rudy Giuliani, a Catholic, was present for Cardinal Edward Egan’s installation in 2000.
Faith never mattered. Respect did.
Former Giuliani campaign spokesman Ken Frydman took an especially dim view of Mamdani’s absence.
“I thought Mamdani only disdains Jews who like Israel,” Frydman said. “Turns out, he also disdains Italian, Irish and other Catholic New Yorkers.”
The New York Archdiocese spans Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, and several surrounding counties, representing an estimated 2.5 million Catholics. For generations, the installation of a new archbishop has been an event that rises above politics and personal belief.
This time, politics won.
Still, despite the mayor’s absence, the ceremony went forward with dignity, tradition, and a full cathedral — proving once again that faith communities don’t depend on politicians to thrive. And in a city built by immigrants, churches, and hard-working families, that’s a reminder worth celebrating.
