Former Joliet bishop Ronald Hicks installed as new archbishop of New York Archdiocese

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks became the new leader of the New York Archdiocese on Friday.

ABC7's Tanja Babich is in New York for Friday's installation Mass.

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The transition happened at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Cardinal Timothy Dolan officially handed over leadership of the archdiocese to Hicks at Saint Patrick's Cathedral.

Security continued to be tight, with police guarding the entrance of the cathedral and allowing only those with tickets to enter. Streets were also blocked off, adding an extra obstacle for the always congested streets around Midtown Manhattan.

The atmosphere inside the cathedral was joyful on Thursday night. With Dolan and Hicks presiding over a Vespers Mass, Hicks led the service in both English and Spanish.

SEE ALSO | Joliet Diocese holds special Mass, bids farewell to New York Archbishop-designate Ronald Hicks

Hicks said it is important to him that he connect with all of New York's 2.5 million Catholics. Among them, 1 million are Latinos from many different countries in South and Central America.

Hicks has a great sense of humor, and it was on display during that Vespers Mass. He got a laugh out of the congregation, saying that he has been inundated with questions about whether he is scared, excited, overwhelmed, but nobody waited for an answer. He said, humbly, that, yes, he is all of the above.

He is funny, and he has great warmth. At one point, he paused, stopping for the congregants, and not the cameras. Babich said it felt very Chicago and very midwestern as our city's influence in the Catholic Church grows in America and overseas at the Vatican.

Pope Leo XIV's first major appointment in the United States is a fellow South Sider. When Babich asked Cardinal Blase Cupich about whether this is a coincidence or the beginning of a trend, he said, simply, that there a a pool of talent that we have in the Chicago Archdiocese and in the city that is noteworthy and justifiably recognized.

SEE ALSO | Joliet Bishop Ronald Hicks named by Pope Leo to lead New York Archdiocese

Hicks has carried a lot of responsibility in his roles with the Chicago and Joliet dioceses. He said the weight of his new role and responsibilities is not one that he will carry alone, and he pointed to the Atlas statue across the street for his reason why.

"On one side of the street, Atlas shows us when we try to carry everything on our own. On this side, in the church, Christ invites us to place our trust in him... with all of our hopes, all of our wounds, all of our future Into the hands of Jesus," Hicks said.

On Friday, Hicks knocked on the door of St. Pat's three times, and Dolan welcomed him in. The carpet around the archbishop's throne changed from red - signifying Dolan's rank as Cardinal - to green, marking Hicks' status as archbishop.

Hicks said in the days leading up to Friday's installation ceremony that with every rise through the ranks, he tried to look for opportunities to say "yes," when he is called upon, to being of service and to God.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.