The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance held on the first Thursday in May, as designated by the United States Congress in a 1952 law. Americans are asked to pray and meditate on this day.
The 72nd Day of Prayer will be celebrated, as it is every year, in Marion County at the courthouse at 5:30 p.m. on May 4. Individuals will read Psalms aloud from noon until 5 p.m. in 10-minute intervals. Organizers Dal Murray and Donna Rackley need volunteers to read on this day.
Senator Angela Hill will be speaking at the observance about the government. Other sectors for prayer are military, country, church, schools and family, and speakers will be on hand for each of these areas.
The day has a long history in the United States. Billy Graham led services for more than 20,000 people on the capitol steps on Feb. 3, 1952. Later that year, Congress proclaimed a joint resolution for a National Day of Prayer. President Harry S. Truman proclaimed a National Day of Prayer to be observed on July 4, 1952, and the observance was moved to the first Thursday in May by President Ronald Reagan. The president is required by law to sign a proclamation each year, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day.
The theme changes every year, and this year the theme is "Pray fervently in righteousness and avail much."
"People complain that we took prayer out of schools, but don't pray when they can," Murray said. "This is one time we can pray together. When the right is taken away, people get outraged."
The day is not for any one religion, but for all religions, and its constitutionality has been affirmed in court.
Murray can be reached at (601) 441-1803 to sign up to read.
