First National Day of Prayer in 70 years with no prayer in the Capitol. Fake news? Origin?

Politics & Elections
1

Out of nowhere, my friend messaged me the following on Facebook. He is a total right-wing nut, like things the election was stolen and all that. He message:

“First time in 70 years, no prayer in Capital on National Day of Prayer. Starting to get the picture now???”

  1. Is this in any way true?
  2. If not, does anyone know the fake-news origin of this claim?
  3. Can anyone debunk it? There was prayer this year or many times in the past, there wasn’t? That sort of thing?

Thanks

2

IF YOUR TIME IS SHORT
There was no public service held at the U.S. Capitol, as there has been in some years — but the day was still observed.

President Joe Biden issued the typical proclamation designating the day and participated in a virtual prayer event.

The Capitol is closed to public tours amid the COVID-19 pandemic and has been operating under increased security ever since the breach on Jan. 6.

3

Thank you, that cited the Covid pandemic mainly as the cause. Was there a service there in 2022, 2023, or 2024?

4

Nevermind.

5

My response to him would be something along the lines of “Clearly Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is showing his respect for our Constitutional separation of church and state. What a great man!”

See if you can make his head explode with cognitive dissonance.

6

No, if for the first time in 70 years, no prayer in the Capital on National Day of Prayer then why aren’t you mad at God fearing Christians like Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson for not having a public prayer?
Bonus points if you mention Jesus’ view on public prayer.

7

I will, but I want to find out first if there was a prayer in the Capitol post-pandemic, so to speak. Or if there ever wasn’t before.

8

Googling this with “capitol 2024”, i found this:

73rd Annual Observance of the National Day of Prayer to Broadcast from Capitol

So, bullshit, as exepected.

9

Snark deleted. Forgot this was factual questions

10

I support this being moved to Politics or something as we now have a proper answer and am discussing the situation. Here is my only response:

" Yeah it did, dude. It didn’t on the 70th anniversary(3 years ago) due to Covid. This year’s streamed from the Capitol(O, not A) this year.

https://nrb.org/73rd-annual-observance-of-the-national-day-of-prayer-to-broadcast-from-capitol/"

11

If your Facebook believed and passed along a story from three years ago as current news, then he is suprisingly up to date for a FB reposter.

12

OK, done.

13

It took, what, ten years for that stupid “Mars as big as the full moon” thing to die?

14

I can’t wait for the next Equinox so that I can balance an egg on its end.