Prayers at United States presidential inaugurations

Since 1937, the United States presidential inauguration has included one or more prayers given by members of the clergy.[1][2] Since 1933 an associated prayer service either public or private attended by the President-elect has often taken place on the morning of the day.[3] At times a major public or broadcast prayer service takes place after the main ceremony most recently on the next day.[4]

List of clergy at main ceremony[2]

January 20, 1937 inaugural of Franklin D. Roosevelt

January 20, 1941 inaugural of Franklin D. Roosevelt

January 20, 1945 inaugural of Franklin D. Roosevelt

  • Invocation by Bishop Angus Dun - Episcopalian, Bishop of Washington
  • Benediction by Monsignor John A. Ryan - Catholic

January 20, 1949 inaugural of Harry S. Truman

January 20, 1953 inaugural of Dwight D. Eisenhower

January 21, 1957 inaugural of Dwight D. Eisenhower

January 20, 1961 inaugural of John F. Kennedy

January 20, 1965 inaugural of Lyndon B. Johnson

January 20, 1969 inaugural of Richard Nixon

January 20, 1973 inaugural of Richard M. Nixon

January 20, 1977 inaugural of Jimmy Carter

Rev. Donn Moomaw gives the invocation at the 1981 inauguration of President Ronald Reagan. Also pictured are House Speaker Tip O'Neill, Vice President George H. W. Bush, President Reagan, Barbara Bush, and Nancy Reagan.

January 20, 1981 inaugural of Ronald Reagan

January 21, 1985 inaugural of Ronald Reagan

January 20, 1989 inaugural of George H. W. Bush

  • Invocation by Rev. Billy Graham - Southern Baptist, text of invocation 1989
  • Benediction by Rev. Billy Graham - Southern Baptist

January 20, 1993 inaugural of Bill Clinton

  • Invocation by Rev. Billy Graham - Southern Baptist, text of invocation 1993
  • Benediction by Rev. Billy Graham - Southern Baptist

January 20, 1997 inaugural of Bill Clinton

January 20, 2001 inaugural of George W. Bush

January 20, 2005 inaugural of George W. Bush

January 20, 2009 inaugural of Barack Obama

January 21, 2013 inaugural of Barack Obama

Reverend Luis Leon delivering the benediction at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration
  • Invocation by Myrlie Evers-Williams, the first woman and non-clergy to deliver an inaugural prayer.
  • Benediction by Rev. Dr. Luis León, fourteenth rector of St. John's Church. Pastor Louie Giglio had originally been tapped by the inaugural committee but withdrew amid controversy regarding a sermon perceived by some as anti-gay he had delivered in the 1990s.[11]

January 20, 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump

  • Invocation by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York
  • Invocation by Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Leadership Conference
  • Invocation by Pastor Paula White, Senior Pastor, New Destiny Christian Center
  • Benediction by Rabbi Marvin Hier, Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center
  • Benediction by Rev. Franklin Graham, Samaritan's Purse and The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
  • Benediction by Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Great Faith Ministries International[12]

January 20, 2021 inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr.

  • Invocation by Rev. Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J., former president of Georgetown University[13]
  • Benediction by Rev. Silvester S. Beaman, pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Wilmington, Delaware[14]

Associated morning prayer service

Presidents since 1933 have often worshipped privately before the actual ceremony.

  • 1933 - Franklin Roosevelt attend a service at St. John's Episcopal Church in the morning (Saturday) before being sworn in.
  • 1937 - Franklin Roosevelt attended a service at St. John's Episcopal Church in the morning (Wednesday) before being sworn in.
  • 1941 - Franklin Roosevelt attended a service at St. John's Episcopal Church in the morning (Wednesday) before being sworn in.
  • 1945 - Franklin Roosevelt had a private service in the White House.
  • 1949 - Harry Truman attended a service at St. John's Episcopal Church in the morning (Thursday) before being sworn in.
  • 1953 - Dwight Eisenhower attended a service at National Presbyterian Church in the morning (Tuesday) before being sworn in.
  • 1957 - Dwight Eisenhower attended a service at National Presbyterian Church (Sunday) before being sworn in privately. He was publicly sworn in the next day.
  • 1961 - John F. Kennedy attended the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at Holy Trinity Church.
  • 1965 - Lyndon Johnson attended a private service at National City Christian Church in the morning (Wednesday) before being sworn in. Billy Graham gave a sermon.
  • 1969 - Richard Nixon had a prayer breakfast in the State Department
  • 1973 - Richard Nixon had no prayer service. He did attend church the next day, a Sunday. There was also a White House Prayer Service with Billy Graham (sermon), Archbishop Joseph Bernardin, and Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin as speakers.[15]
  • 1977 - Jimmy Carter attended a private service at First Baptist Church[16]
  • 1981 - Ronald Reagan attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church. Speakers included Billy Graham.
  • 1985 - Ronald Reagan attended a private service a morning prayer service at Washington National Cathedral before taking the presidential oath at the White House on Sunday, January 20. Speakers included Billy Graham.[17] He attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church before his public swearing in at the Capitol on Monday, January 21.[18]
  • 1989 - George H. W. Bush attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church.
  • 1993 - Bill Clinton attended a private service at Metropolitan AME Church
  • 1997 - Bill Clinton attended a private service at Metropolitan AME Church
  • 2001 - George W. Bush attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church on January 20
  • 2009 - Barack Obama attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church
  • 2013 - Barack Obama attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church on the morning of Monday, January 21, immediately before his public inaugural ceremony. (He had privately been sworn in the previous day.)
  • 2017 - Donald Trump attended a private service at St. John's Episcopal Church
  • 2021 - Joe Biden attended a private mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral of St. Matthew. Fr. Kevin F. O'Brien, preached and presided.[19]

Public prayer service

[4] In 1789 George Washington along with Congress attended a service at St. Paul's Chapel in New York City after his swearing in. The ceremony was presided over by Bishop Samuel Provoost. No similar service is known until 1933.

Sunday, March 5, 1933 "National Inaugural Prayer Service" at Washington National Cathedral. Presided over by Episcopal Bishop James Edward Freeman of Washington.

Thursday, January 20, 1977 James Carter had a half-hour interfaith prayer service at the Lincoln Memorial in the morning (8am) before the main ceremony; he did not attend.[16][20][21] Speakers included

1981 Ronald Reagan had a service at National City Christian Church on Thomas Circle, Washington, D.C., but he did not attend.

Sunday, January 20, 1985 Ronald Reagan had a public service at the Washington National Cathedral. Speakers included

Sunday, January 22, 1989 George H. W. Bush attended a Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral the day after his swearing in.[22]

  • John T. Walker, Episcopal Bishop of Washington presided
  • Charles A. Perry, Cathedral Provost, officiated

Sermons were given by

Other participants included

  • Rabbi Matthew H. Simon from the B’nai Israel Congregation in Rockville, Maryland, read from the Torah
  • Vilma Guerrero Smith read reading part of the Forty-seventh Psalm
  • Rev. Canon Carole Crumley read part of the fifth chapter of Matthew
  • Cardinal James Hickey, Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, read from the New Testament
  • Iakovos, archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, read from the New Testament
  • George Walker Bush read a prayer
  • Mrs. James A. Baker, III, honorary chairman for the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, read a prayer
  • Rev. Stephen E. Smallman (Vice-President Quayle’s pastor) from McLean, Virginia, read from the Old Testament

Sunday, January 21, 2001 - George W. Bush had a prayer service at the National Cathedral.[23]

  • Nathan D. Baxter, dean of the Cathedral
  • Jane Holmes Dixon, bishop of Washington pro tempore (Episcopalian)
  • Franklin Graham gave the sermon
  • Rabbi Samuel Karff from Congregation Beth Israel of Houston read Jeremiah 29:11–13 and gave one of the prayers
  • Beulah “Bubba” Dailey of Austin Street Center in Dallas, read Proverbs 3:1–8
  • Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America led the people responsively in the Twenty-Third Psalm. He also gave one of the prayers.
  • Mark Craig of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, read 1 John 4:7–8
  • Theodore E. McCarrick, Roman Catholic archbishop of Washington, read Matthew 6:25–33 and gave one of the prayers
  • Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, read the Prayer for the Nation.
  • Rev. Peter Grandell, Cathedral staff
  • Rev. Luis León, rector of St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.
  • Rev. Suzanne Love Harris, of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
  • Dr. Jack Hayford, pastor of the Church on the Way, Van Nuys, California

Friday, January 21, 2005 - George W. Bush had a service at the National Cathedral the day after the inauguration.[24] Speakers included:[25]

  • John Bryson Chane, Bishop of Washington, Episcopalian
  • A. Theodore Eastman, Vicar of Washington National Cathedral, Episcopalian
  • Mark Craig, Dallas, Texas, United Methodist, gave the sermon
  • Billy Graham, Charlotte, North Carolina, Southern Baptist (prayer)
  • Rabbi Morton Yolkut, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Bishop G. E. Patterson, Memphis, Tennessee, Church of God in Christ
  • Luis Cortes, Jr., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Baptist
  • The Metropolitan Herman Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of all America and Canada Orthodox Church of America, Syosset, New York
  • Cardinal William Keeler, Baltimore, Maryland, Catholic
  • Imam Yahya Hendi Muslim Chaplain, Georgetown University, Washington, DC (Did not participate because of illness.)
  • Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, Washington, DC, Catholic
  • Archbishop Demetrios Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, New York, New York
  • Kirbyjon Caldwell, Houston, Texas, United Methodist
  • Canon Mary Sulerud, Washington, DC, Episcopalian

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - Barack Obama had a service at 10am in the National Cathedral.

Scripture readings by

  • Dr. Cynthia Hale, senior pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, New York City
  • Rev. Francisco González, S.F., auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Washington
  • Rabbi David Saperstein, executive director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Washington, D.C.

Responsive prayers by

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 - An interfaith National Prayer Service at 10:30 am in the National Cathedral was attended by President Obama, Vice President Biden and their spouses.

Saturday, January 21, 2017 - An interfaith National Prayer Service in Washington National Cathedral was attended by President Trump, Vice President Pence and their spouses.[26]

  • Carlyle Begay of the Navajo offered the invocation.
  • Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington gave the welcome.
  • Bishop James B. Magness, bishop suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries of the Episcopal Church led the opening acclamation.
  • Dean Randolph Marshall Hollerith of Washington National Cathedral led the opening prayer.
  • Mikhail Manevich of Washington Hebrew Congregation gave a Jewish call to prayer.
  • Rabbi Fred Raskind of Temple Bet Yam, St. Augustine, Florida, read the first reading.
  • Evangelist Alveda King, Director of Civil Rights for the Unborn, Priests for Life; Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr., Hope Christian Church, Beltsville, Maryland; and Narayanachar Digalakote, Senior Priest, Sri Siva Vishnu Temple, Lanham, Maryland, led prayers for those who govern.
  • Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, led a prayer for civil leaders.
  • Imam Mohamed Magid, Executive Imam, ADAMS Center, Sterling, Virginia, gave the Muslim call to prayer.
  • Sajid Tarar, Advisor, Medina Masjid, Baltimore, Maryland, read the second reading.
  • Pastor Greg Laurie, Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship, Riverside & Irvine, California, and Dr. Jack Graham, Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas, led prayers for those who serve.
  • Archbishop Demetrios of America, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America led a prayer for service to others.
  • Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan of the Washington National Cathedral gave the Christian call to prayer.
  • Dr. David Jeremiah, Senior Pastor, Shadow Mountain Community Church, El Cajon, California read the third reading.
  • Dr. Ronnie W. Floyd, Senior Pastor, Cross Church, Arkansas, read Psalm 23.
  • Dr. David D. Swanson, Senior Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Orlando, Florida, read the fourth reading.
  • Jesse Singh, Chairman, Sikhs of America; Minister Ian McIlraith, Director of Youth Programs, Soka Gakkai International-USA, Santa Monica, California; and Anthony Vance, Director of Public Affairs, United States Baha’i Community, led prayers for the people.
  • Cissie Graham Lynch, Samaritan’s Purse, lead a prayer for peace.
  • Pastor Ramiro Peña, Senior Pastor, Christ the King Baptist Church, Waco, Texas, led the Lord's Prayer.
  • Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington, Roman Catholic Church, led a prayer for our country.
  • Bishop Magness offered the closing prayer.
  • Bishop Budde gave the blessing.
  • Rev. Darrell Scott, Senior Pastor, New Spirit Revival Center, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, gave the dismissal.

Thursday, January 21, 2021 - Virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service hosted by Washington National Cathedral at 10 a.m.[27]

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II co-chair, Poor People's Campaign, preached. Other participants included:

  • The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal Church
  • The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Diocesan Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Washington
  • The Very Rev. Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean, Washington National Cathedral
  • His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
  • Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah
  • Rabbi Sharon Brous, Senior Rabbi, IKAR
  • Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation
  • Phefelia Nez, First Lady, Navajo Nation
  • The Rev. Jim Wallis, Founder and Ambassador of Sojourners
  • Sr. Carol Keehan, Former President and CEO, Catholic Health Association
  • The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Senior Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ
  • Dr. Debbie Almontaser, Senior Advisor, Emgage NY and President, Muslim Community Network
  • Imam Azhar Subedar, Imam, IACC
  • The Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra, Assistant Professor of Mission and Global Transformation, Fuller Theological Seminary
  • Barbara Satin, Faith Work Director, The National LGBTQ Task Force
  • Anuttama Dasa, Global Minister of Communications, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
  • Valarie Kaur, Sikh American Activist, Author of “See No Stranger”  
  • The Rev. Dr. Gregory Knox Jones, Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
  • Bishop Vashti McKenzie, African Methodist Episcopal Church
  • The Rev. Dr. Paula Stone Williams, Author and Pastor, Left Hand Church
  • The Rev. Fred Davie, Executive Vice President, Union Theological Seminary
  • The Rev. Robert W. Fisher, Rector, St. John’s, Lafayette Square
  • The Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder, Presiding Bishop, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries
  • Emma Petty Addams, Executive Director, Mormon Women for Ethical Government
  • The Rev. Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, Senior Pastor, Ray of Hope Christian Church
  • The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Kuan, President, Claremont School of Theology
  • First Lady Robin Jackson, Brookland Baptist Church
  • The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Senior Minister, Middle Collegiate Church
  • The Revd. Canon Rosemarie Logan Duncan, Canon for Worship, Washington National Cathedral
  • The Rev. Robert W. Lee, Pastor, Unifour Church
  • Sr. Norma Pimentel, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
  • Jen Hatmaker, NYT Bestselling Author, Podcast Host, and Speaker

References
  1. "Presidential Inaugurations Past and Present: A Look at the History Behind the Pomp and Circumstance".
  2. Newdow. "Appendix D: Inaugural Clergy" (PDF).
  3. "Morning Worship Service".
  4. "Washington National Cathedral: Presidential Inaugural Prayer Services". Washington National Cathedral. Archived from the original on January 20, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  5. Anonymous. "An Inventory of the John A. Ryan Papers". The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  6. Anonymous. "The Bishops of Columbus". The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus. Archived from the original on January 3, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  7. Waldman, Steven (January 17, 2009). "The Power of Prayer". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  8. Anonymous. "History of United Hebrew Congregation". United Hebrew Congregation. Archived from the original on August 14, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  9. Order of Events. (1949, January 20). The Washington Post (1923-1954),p. C1. Retrieved October 16, 2010, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The Washington Post (1877 - 1994). (Document ID: 234212532).
  10. Anonymous. "Reverend Preacher Dr. E.V.Hill Died Late Monday Night in L.A." Cephas Library. Archived from the original on January 7, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  11. Suggs, Ernie; Daniel Malloy (January 10, 2013). "Atlanta's Rev. Giglio withdraws from Obama inauguration amid controversy". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
  12. Peter, Baker; Peter Shear (January 20, 2017). "Donald Trump Sworn in as President, Caping his Swift Assent". The New York Times. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  13. Christopher, White (2021-01-06). "Jesuit Fr. Leo O'Donovan to deliver invocation at Biden inauguration". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  14. Jenkins, Jack (2021-01-14). "Biden taps Delaware AME pastor to offer benediction at inauguration". Religion News Service. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  15. http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/inaugural01.htm
  16. Briggs, Kenneth A. (January 21, 1977). "Plea by Dr. King's Father Adds Touch of Revivalism to the DAy". New York Times. p. 30.
  17. Clines, Francis X.; Times, Special To the New York (1985-01-21). "Reagan Sworn for 2d Term; Inaugural Parade Dropped as Bitter Cold Hits Capital". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-06-04.
  18. Grimmett, Richard F. (2009). St. John's Church Lafayette Square: The History and Heritage of the Church of the Presidents, Washington, DC. Minneapolis, MN: Mill City Press. p. 227.
  19. "Read the homily Joe Biden heard Inauguration Day morning". Religion News Service. 2021-01-20. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  20. Weinraub, Bernard (January 16, 1977). "Five-Day 'People's' Inauguration Begins in Capital Tuesday". The New York Times. p. 24.
  21. Briggs, Kenneth A. (January 19, 1977). "Prayer Gatherings Greet Inauguration". The New York Times. p. 33.
  22. "Washington National Cathedral: Presidential Inaugural Prayer Services (1989)". Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  23. "Washington National Cathedral: Presidential Inaugural Prayer Services (2001)". Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  24. "CNN.com - Bush attends National Prayer Service - Jan 21, 2005". January 21, 2005. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  25. "Washington National Cathedral: Presidential Inaugural Prayer Services (2005)". Washington National Cathedral. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
  26. "The National Prayer Service for The Fifty-Eighth Presidential Inaugural" (PDF). cathedral.org. Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Washington National Cathedral. January 21, 2017. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  27. "Presidential Inaugural Committee and Washington National Cathedral Announce Virtual Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service". bideninaugural.org. 2021-01-19. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
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