Inaugural presidential prayer service goes virtual for Biden

The Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service will be held virtually this year after President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in Wednesday.

The service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, a day after Biden’s inauguration, according to the Presidential Inaugural Committee and the Washington National Cathedral.

It will be streamed at bideninaugural.org/watch​ and ​cathedral.org​, with closed captioning and ASL provided.

“The National Prayer Service is an important tradition for our nation and for President Biden, who has always been a man guided deeply by his faith,” said committee CEO and Delaware State University President Tony Allen in a news release Tuesday.

“The program announced today will honor the role of faith in our country, and provide a moment to reflect on the unprecedented challenges we face, as we enter this new American chapter of healing to beat the pandemic, build back our economy better, and unify our country.”

Bishop William J. Barber II will deliver the homily.

There will be musical performances from Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle and The Clark Sisters.

A host leading religious voices will also speak at the service, which dates back to the first inauguration of President George Washington.

Will Vitka

William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com. He's been in the news industry for over a decade. Before joining WTOP, he worked for CBS News, Stuff Magazine, The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them, with more to come.

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