In a poignant moment broadcast on NBC’s ‘Today’ show Tuesday morning, New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks offered a fervent prayer for host Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy, who has been missing since Feb. 1.

In a poignant moment broadcast on NBC’s Today show Tuesday morning, New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks offered a fervent prayer for host Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy, who has been missing since Feb. 1.

“As the new archbishop here, it’s just, like everyone, it’s heartbreaking,” Archbishop Hicks told co-hosts Craig Melvin, Carson Daly and Hoda Kotb, referring to the 84-year-old grandmother’s apparent abduction from her home in a secluded community outside Tucson, Arizona. “It’s hard to watch. I want to just extend my absolute support — and especially my prayers; not only my own prayers, but she has a community of people praying for her and for her mom and for the entire family.”

Melvin asked the newly installed shepherd of the Big Apple if he would lead a prayer, and Archbishop Hicks offered a moving petition.

“Let’s just take a moment to put ourselves in the presence of God and ask God — with his light and his grace and his mercy and his goodness — just be with Savannah, with this entire situation, be with her mom; bring hope, peace, some resolution to all of this. And let her know of the great love and support and prayers that surround her. In your Name, we ask, Amen.”

Earlier in the segment, Archbishop Hicks said that he appreciates how New Yorkers have greeted him since his Feb. 6 installation Mass, citing “the outpouring of friendliness and welcome and goodwill … a great kind of sense of people wanting the best for not only the Church but for the city of New York.”

“That welcome has been just really beautifully overwhelming,” he added.

Kotb referenced his installation homily, which included Catholic riffs on famous New York tunes from Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra.

“It was very well received,” he said of his references, adding that “I think we need to be a Church that connects to the arts, to music, to culture” and explaining how “including that was just kind of a nod to my love for music.”

The Chicago-area native also explained how he and Pope Leo XIV, who also hails from the Windy City, grew up 14 blocks from each other. “You could actually walk or ride your bike.”

And then he recounted receiving the nuncio’s call about New York: “The Holy Father has a new role for you. It’s to be the archbishop of New York.”

That momentous call was met with spiritual serenity, he recalled.

“I was at complete peace, believe it or not. I was at complete peace, saying, ‘If this is what God wants of me, if this is what the Church is asking of me, just do it. I say Yes, and I do it with an open heart.’”

The conversation turned to his being “a strong Cubs fan” — and then Melvin presented him with a New York Yankees hat, and a bit of good-natured joking ensued.

Archbishop Hicks isn’t shying away from sports in his new city, having attended the St. John’s-Xavier basketball game last week at Madison Square Garden; it was his first time at “The Garden.”

“What struck me was that, this debate about the Cubs, every usher, every vendor, everyone I met, they’re welcoming. They said, ‘It’s fine you’re a Cub fan, but we’re going to get you to a Yankees game, we’re going to get you to a Mets game — they right away put a plug in for their team.”