South Lake Tahoe locals commemorate National Day of Prayer

The first national call to prayer came in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation. Since then, a call to prayer has continued from President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863 to an annual national day of prayer signed by a joint resolution by Congress in 1952 that was signed by President Truman.

Now, the National Day of Prayer is held on the first Thursday in May.

In front of the courthouse in South Lake Tahoe on May 4, about three dozen people gathered for an hour long non-denominational celebration of song, prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

"This is so cool where we have a free country where we can pray," Chris Celio told the group.

Rabbi Evon Yakar of South Lake Tahoe's Temple Bat Yam played a shofar, an ancient musical horn made of ram's horn, used for communication and to signal Jewish Holy days.

Tom Celio said students were gathering at schools' flag poles have their own celebration of prayer.