The White House on National Day of Prayer: A Proclamation, but No Formal Ceremony

Every President since 1952 has signed a National Day of Prayer proclamation.

The President of the United States has called for a National Day of Prayer every year since 1975.

There have been 134 national calls for prayer, humiliation, fasting and thanksgiving by the President of the United States (1789-2008).

There have been 56 Presidential Proclamations for a “National Day of Prayer” (1952-2008).

33 of the 44 U.S. Presidents have signed proclamations for National Prayer. Four of the Presidents who did not sign a proclamation died while serving in office:

John Quincy Adams (1825-29) (F) – Spoke of Prayer and Christ often

Andrew Jackson (1829-37) (D)– Openly refused to sign a proclamation for prayer

Martin Van Buren (1837-41) (D)

William Henry Harrison (1841-41) (W) – Died in Office

John Knox Polk (1845-49) (D) Mexican-American War

Zachary Taylor (1849-50) (W) – Died in Office

Millard Fillmore (1850-53) (W) 10

Franklin Pierce (1853-57) (D) 10

James Abram Garfield (1881-81) (R) – Assassinated

William Howard Taft (1909-13) (R)

Warren Gamaliel Harding (1921-23) (R) – Died in Office

Interesting to note: Almost 40% of all U.S. Presidents who didn’t sign a proclamation for prayer died in office.

Gerald Ford (1976) and George H. Bush (1989-91) are the only U.S. Presidents to sign two National Day of Prayer Proclamations in the same year.

Millions of Americans now participate in the National Day of Prayer each year (1st Thursday in May). Last May 1st, tens of thousands of prayer gatherings were held, covering every state. “Day of Prayer” declarations were made from the President of the United States and all 50 governors. Prayer observances were held in 110 federal prisons, YMCAs, national monuments, Indian reservations, military bases, stadiums, nursing homes, airliners crossing our nation, schools, town halls, in the Senate and Congressional chambers of many state capitols, and overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition to these public activities, people gathered to pray in their homes, churches, and other private places.

PrayerFlight, the group of Ohio private pilots, has once again enlisted the support of private pilots in every state to fly “50 Capitols”; flying and praying over their respective state capitols.

Brian of CO 4:47PM May 01, 2009