An event with Timothy Cardinal Dolan to preserve the art of St. Patrick’s Cathedral came to a crashing end Thursday when an important guest — Republican state chairman Ed Cox — accidentally knocked over a valuable antique vase, smashing it to pieces.

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan hosted the breakfast for New York notables including Home Depot billionaire Ken Langone and Blackstone’s John Studzinski in the bank’s swanky, art-filled corporate offices at One Bryant Park on Sixth Avenue.

The breakfast was organized to bring together New York business leaders with Cardinal Dolan to discuss restoring the landmarked Fifth Avenue cathedral’s treasure trove of art and artifacts.

But, a witness reports, “the peace was shattered when Ed Cox accidentally knocked over a 4-foot-tall antique vase in the center of the room. It fell to the floor and shattered with a terrible, piercing, sound which stopped the entire room.” The source added, “Ed nervously tried to edge away from the wreckage while the event staff looked mortified. One exclaimed, ‘Oh my God, that was a $70,000 vase!’ ”

A BofA spokesman confirmed that guests had been invited to discuss the St. Pat’s art restoration, which includes a $1 million commitment by the bank to preserve the cathedral’s famed, stained-glass rose window. The rep jokingly added, “With regards to the vase, the breakfast was a smashing success.”

A spokesman for the not-usually clumsy Cox, the son-in-law of President Richard Nixon, told us, “I can confirm that it did happen. The vase was placed on a very small table, and after it broke, Bank of America officials apologized to Mr. Cox. They said this had happened before — other items that were placed on that table had previously been broken.

“No one is ever happy when a vase falls and breaks, especially a nice vase,” Cox’s rep added. “But they did not ask him to pay for the item. They acknowledged the placement of the vase was ill-advised.”