The former Archbishop Cardinal Edward Egan died at 82 years old Thursday afternoon in a Manhattan hospital.

Posted by Jim on March 5, 2015

as reported by WPIX

The former Archbishop Cardinal Edward Egan died at 82 years old Thursday afternoon in a Manhattan hospital.

The cardinal was pronounced dead at NYU Langone Medical Center at 2:20 after going into cardiac arrest, according to Katherine Greenwood of the Archdiocese of New York.

Pope John Paul II appointed Cardinal Egan as the archbishop of New York from 2000 to 2009, and was made a cardinal in 2001 after the death of Cardinal John O’Connor.  He served as the spiritual leader for many New Yorkers after the September 11 terror attacks, presiding over funerals and anointing the dead, along with holding prayers for justice.

In 2014, Egan also led the procession at the funeral for Avonte Oquendo, the Queens boy with autism whose remains were discovered on a College Point beach.

Egan is remembered as a financially savvy leader who was unpopular at the time for closing parishes and enacting cost-cutting measures that are now regarded as tough but necessary measures.

He was succeeded by Archbishop Timothy Dolan and was retired as archbishop in May of 2009 at the age of 77.  Dolan asked for people to celebrate his life and priesthood, saying in a statement on his website:

“Thank God he had a peaceful death, passing away right after lunch today, with the prayers and  sacraments of his loyal priest secretary, Father Douglas Crawford, in his residence at the Chapel of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  He was rushed to NYU Langone Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 2:20 pm this afternoon.”

He continued living in Manhattan and working with the Archdiocese and the Vatican after his retirement.