SILER CITY — Siler City Mayor John Grimes signed a proclamation on Monday observing the National Day of Prayer.
In 1952, President Harry S. Truman signed into law that the United States would honor a National Day of Prayer each spring upon the urging of North Carolina evangelist the Rev. Billy Graham. The law required that each subsequent President must reaffirm the date. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed an amendment to the law that would order the day be recognized on the first Thursday of May.
The Siler City Mayoral Proclamation states that the “National Day of Prayer is a day that transcends differences, bringing together Americans of all faiths to pray for our nation.”
The theme for the 2020 National Day of Prayer is “Pray God’s Glory — Across the Earth,” based upon Habakkuk 2:14. Habakkuk was a prophet who is honored in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths. For Christian scholars, the Book of Habakkuk is an important section as it contains a dialogue between Habakkuk and God where he questions God’s inaction in an unjust world before eventually turning to prayer and praise.
Habakkuk was not mentioned by name in the Qu’ran, but is considered in the faith to have heralded the coming of the Prophet Muhammad in the Torah, the Jewish Holy Book. Islamic authors will also mention Habakkuk as a prophet in traditional writings. There is a shrine in Iran that is believed to Habakkuk’s burial place.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, there will be no official events for the National Day of Prayer in Siler City.