Prayer: National observance puts it in the spotlight

Published: 2004-05-07

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Prayers, so often said privately or in silence, occasionally make public appearances. Take for instance the National Day of Prayer. The annual day was first suggested in 1775 by the Continental Congress, but it was officially instituted in 1952 when President Truman signed a congressional resolution calling for a day to be set aside for common prayer. In 1988, President Reagan set the National Day of Prayer permanently as the first Thursday in May. This May 6, as on previous first Thursdays in May, people gathered for prayer services, rallies, breakfasts and walks across the country. They met in churches, city halls, parks and shopping malls to pray and talk about the importance of prayer. Religious and political leaders marked the day with programs on Capitol Hill and the White House. President Bush and many of the nation's governors signed proclamations supporting the day's events.

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