From

staff reports

Both Vidalia and Ferriday will host National Day of Prayer events today.

Ferriday will hold a prayer service with local ministers at 12:30 p.m. at town hall, Mayor Gene Allen said.

He invited the community to participate in the event.

&uot;We ask all of you to come and meet with us on that day,&uot; he said last week at a special Ferriday town meeting.

Vidalia will hold a prayer service at 12:20 p.m. at town hall.

Across the river, Natchez will hold a prayer service at noon at city hall.

Mayor Phillip West and several ministers are expected to speak.

The Natchez Area Ministerial Alliance has organized the event.

Organizers said the event will include prayers for the city, state and nation, schools, churches and families, and will also include hymns and patriotic songs.

Congress established a National Day of Prayer in 1952, under President Truman.

In 1988, President Reagan amended the law to make the first Thursday of May each year the National Day of Prayer.