The City of Jeanerette celebrated National Day of Prayer on Thursday with a short prayer service filled with public officials, religious officials and students.

The public event was put on by the city of Jeanerette along with the Minister in Christ in Jeanerette, Jeanerette Community Development and the Iberia Christian Ministerial Federation.

Thompson said at the event that a wide range of ministers had been gathered to lead prayers during the observance of the National Day of Prayer.

The Rev. Arthur Alexander led the opening prayer for the event and prayed for the community of Jeanerette as well as the world as a whole during the prayer.

“Look down on Jeanerette like only You can, and accomplish what only You can accomplish,” Alexander prayed.

Mayor Carol Bourgeois acknowledged the public officials who attended the event including Alderman Clarence Clark, as well as the public employees including members of the Jeanerette Public Works department.

“We know prayer will change the world, and we’re in a time where our communities and families need prayer,” Bourgoeis said.

The Rev. Wilfred Johnson with A New Chapter PUSH and Rev. Zack Mitchell with the Iberia Christian Ministerial Federation were among the local ministers who took part in the initiative.

Johnson said event organizers put out a clarion call for local ministers to take part in the National Day of Prayer and were satisfied with the large response that was received.

The National Day of Prayer was celebrated nationwide, with participants praying for several distinct areas that included family, church, business, education, military, government and media.

The theme for this year’s National Day of Prayer was “Exalting the Lord,” with specified prayers that kept that theme in mind.

Johnson said each of the ministers was assigned one of the seven points to pray on as they led the audience in the observance.

The National Day of Prayer began in 1952 when a bill was passed federally that the president of the United States was to set aside an appropriate day each year as a National Day of Prayer.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the designation of the first Thursday in May as the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer.

Religious groups in Iberia Parish have annually observed the tradition, with groups like the Iberia Christian Ministerial Federation taking part in the day of prayer every year.