Day of Prayer
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A Day of Prayer is a day allocated to prayer, either by leaders of religions or the general public, for a specific purpose. Such days are usually ecumenical in nature.
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[edit] World Day of Prayer for Peace
Pope John Paul II organized the first World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy, on October 27, 1986. More than 120 representatives of different world religions and Christian denominations spent a day together with fasting and praying to their God or Gods. The only major religious organization that was not present was Jehovah's Witnesses. And it was pretty cool!
[edit] National Day of Prayer
This is a day designated by the United States Congress as a day when all Americans regardless of faith are asked to come together and pray in their own way. It is held on the first Thursday in May. A 'National Day of Prayer Task Force' was created in order to coordinate the event.
[edit] Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem
A prayer meeting organized by pentecostal evangelists Jack W. Hayford and Robert Stearns through their organization "Eagles Wings". They annually invite people around the world to pray for Jerusalem on the first Sunday of every October, close to the time of Yom Kippur. Their first prayer meeting occurred in 2004.
[edit] Haystack Prayer Meeting
Held in August 1806 this is viewed by many scholars as the seminal event for the development of Protestant Missions in the subsequent decades and centuries. On a hot summer day, a few Williams College students gathered in a field to discuss the spiritual welfare of the people of Asia. When a thunderstorm developed over the field, the students took refuge in the lee of a large haystack and continued their prayer meeting.
[edit] Women's World Day of Prayer
Held on the first Friday in March each year, the World Day of Prayer is the world's largest ecumenical laywomen’s initiative.[citation needed] It is run under the motto Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action, and is celebrated annually by Christian women in over 170 countries. The movement aims to bring together women of various races, cultures and traditions in a yearly common day of prayer, as well as in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year.
