The faith of the nation will be very much present when President-elect Donald F. Trump emerges from the Capitol tomorrow morning for his inauguration as the 45th President of the United States – from the blessed doorway through which he will pass just before his inauguration to the interfaith service he’ll attend on Saturday morning at Washington’s National Cathedral.

According to a press release from the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Pastor of Church on the Hill and Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, several faith leaders participated in a traditional ceremony of prayer and anointing of the doorway through which the President-elect will pass on his way to being sworn in as President of the United States.

"With all the massive preparations surrounding the Inauguration, the most important and critical thing needed to be done is prayer,” Rev. Mahoney said. “For it is prayer that will shift, shape and transform history. At a time when America is divided, it is the platform of the unity of prayer that will bring us together.”

During the blessing, prayers were offered to ask for Christ's direction, guidance, and protection of President-elect Trump and his Administration.

“We ask that he would turn to God for wisdom and strength and look to Him for every vital decision he will make. We also pray that God would ignite a spiritual awakening that would heal our nation," the Reverend said.

 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan will be one of six faith leaders who will offer benedictions before the swearing-in ceremony.

“I am honored to have been asked to offer a reading from Scripture at the upcoming presidential inauguration and look forward to asking Almighty God to inspire and guide our new President and to continue to bless our great Nation,” Dolan said in a statement according to the Religion News Service (RNS).

He will be joined by Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, who will also take part in the benediction. This will be the first time since 1985 that a rabbi will offer prayers at the event.

The Rev. Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will also offer readings and give the benediction at the ceremony.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and Paula White, pastor of the New Destiny Christian Center, chairwoman of Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board and the president-elect’s longtime spiritual adviser, will also offer readings and invocations at the inauguration.

“I will be humbled to stand shoulder to shoulder on stage with the new administration, other distinguished men and women of faith, and with the great sea of witnesses watching around the country and around the world who continue to pray for God to bless America,” White said in a statement. “On that sacred day, we will ask God to guide our leaders with wisdom and strength and that He would richly bless our extraordinary home, the United States of America.”

Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International in Detroit, who came under during the presidential campaign for hosting Donald Trump at his church, will also be offering a benediction.

On Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. an interfaith prayer service will be held at Washington’s National Cathedral. This is a tradition that began with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first inauguration in 1933.

According to USA Today, inauguration festivities kick off at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon with a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery followed by a concern event being held near the Lincoln Memorial at 4:00 p.m.

Visitors to the Capitol can expect tight security when gates open at 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning. Opening remarks will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the official swearing-in ceremony commencing at noon. Although tickets are required for special viewing, there will be plenty of public viewing space with giant video screens and audio systems scattered throughout the Mall.

After the new president’s address, which is expected to last about 20 minutes, Congress will host a luncheon inside the Capitol. This will be followed by a presidential procession and inaugural parade which will take place along Pennsylvania Avenue. More than 8,000 participants representing 40 organizations are expected to take part in the parade.

President-elect Trump has already said that he will spend at least part of the day on official business in the Oval Office before heading out to the inaugural ball celebrations that will be taking place through the District on Friday evening. President Trump is expected to attend three balls with his wife, and the new First Lady, Melania.

Regardless of one's faith or political views, the inauguration of a new president is a time to come together in prayer and hope.

As Cardinal Timothy Dolan reminds: “There’s a great American tradition that we give a new president a chance, that we do our best to be open to his ideas, and that we just want to make this work.”

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