NYC Mayor Skips Ceremony for New Catholic Archbishop

Zohran Mamdani breaks decades-long tradition by not attending installation of Archbishop Ronald Hicks

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced criticism for skipping the installation ceremony of the new Archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, on Friday. Mamdani was the first mayor in nearly 100 years to miss the event, which has traditionally been attended by the city's sitting mayor as a sign of respect for the Catholic community. Mamdani's absence was seen by some as a snub to the over 2.5 million Catholics in the New York Archdiocese, which includes Manhattan, The Bronx, and Staten Island.

Why it matters

The mayor's absence from the archbishop's installation ceremony was seen as a break from a long-standing tradition that has historically transcended a mayor's personal faith. Previous mayors, including those who were not Catholic themselves, have attended the event to show respect for the Catholic Church and its role in the city. Mamdani's decision not to attend was viewed by some as a sign that he does not value the city's Catholic community.

The details

Mayor Zohran Mamdani did not attend the installation ceremony for the new Archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, on Friday. The event was attended by a packed crowd at St. Patrick's Cathedral and has been a tradition for the city's sitting mayor to attend, dating back to at least 1939. Mamdani's public schedule for the day only listed a prayer breakfast and a winter weather press conference, with no mention of the archbishop's installation. When asked about Mamdani's absence, City Hall declined to comment, and a representative simply said 'the mayor didn't go but he tweeted about it'.

  • The installation ceremony for Archbishop Ronald Hicks took place on Friday, February 9, 2026.
  • Mamdani has been mayor of New York City for just over a month.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The current mayor of New York City, who broke with decades of tradition by not attending the installation ceremony for the new Archbishop of New York.

Ronald Hicks

The 58-year-old who became the 11th Archbishop of the New York Archdiocese on February 9, 2026.

Fiorello LaGuardia

The mayor of New York City in 1939 who attended the installation ceremony for Archbishop Francis Spellman, establishing a tradition that Mamdani broke.

Timothy Dolan

The previous Archbishop of New York who passed the reins of power to Ronald Hicks during the installation ceremony.

Kathy Hochul

The Governor of New York who was unable to attend the installation ceremony due to a scheduling conflict.

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What they’re saying

“Mamdani has been in office for just over a month, and already he is signaling to Catholics that they are not welcome.”

— New York's Catholic League (New York Post)

“It was a missed opportunity for the mayor to show he wants to serve all the segments of the city.”

— Bill Cunningham, Former communications director and top adviser to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (New York Post)

“I thought Mamdani only disdains Jews who like Israel. Turns out, he also disdains Italian, Irish and other Catholic New Yorkers.”

— Ken Frydman, Former spokesman for Rudy Giuliani's 1993 mayoral campaign (New York Post)

What’s next

The New York Archdiocese and Catholic community are likely to continue scrutinizing Mayor Mamdani's relationship with the Catholic Church and his engagement with the city's large Catholic population.

The takeaway

Mayor Mamdani's decision to skip the installation ceremony for the new Archbishop of New York was seen by many as a snub to the city's Catholic community, breaking with a longstanding tradition of mayors attending the event regardless of their own faith. This move has raised concerns that Mamdani does not value the role of the Catholic Church and its followers in New York City.