People were pressed shoulder-to-shoulder at St. Patrick’s Cathedral and across the street at Rockefeller Plaza Sunday night as crowds flocked to attend Christmas Eve Mass and see the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree under heavy security.
Police were on every street corner as they kept watch over the busy corridor of streets gleaming with Christmas lights and other holiday flair. Around the iconic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, police restricted trucks on Fifth and Madison avenues between 42nd and 57th streets.
The NYPD dispatched officers to churches all over the city as part of its Christmas Eve safety plan.
Police said there are no credible threats to the city, but a deadly vehicle attack on Halloween and a botched subway bombing just weeks ago have led to extra vigilance.
Inside St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Bishop John O’Hara was to replace Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who was sick with a case of the flu, the Archdiocese of New York said late Sunday.
