Parliament Hill will see its first-ever National Day of Prayer weekend on July 11-12, where Christians from across the country will gather in prayer for the nation of Canada. Chair of the National Day of Prayer Organizing Committee Faytene Grasseschi, host of Faytene TV, told the Western Standard the purpose of the event is to hold a humble, non-partisan gathering of believers, with “no political agenda” to establish a tradition that will last for decades. “We’re not planning an event for 2025 — we’re planning an event for 2075,” said Grasseschi, explaining the movement sprang with a “heart for the next generation” and a desire to “model leadership on its knees.”Christian leaders, dignitaries, representatives from various organizations across Canada, families and individuals have already committed their agreement with the Christ-centered purpose of the event on its website.“Just about every region of the nation has confirmed representation,” said Grasseschi..Grassroots politics over Big Government.On Friday, July 11, there will be a worship and prayer gathering at the Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa. On Saturday, the initiative will partner with the March for Jesus event in downtown Ottawa, and at 3 p.m. local time they will gather on Parliament Hill for prayer and worship.Between these two events converging together, about 3,000 to 5,000 people are expected to participate.During this two-day stretch, united prayers will be lifted for Canada’s leaders, families, churches, economy, national security, spiritual revival and for healing and reconciliation across the land.“We're going to be praying for a blessing on the economy. We're going to be praying for our leaders to be given wisdom. We're going to be praying for the national unity issue — like we know we're at a pivotal time, a defining moment in our nation when it comes to that — we'll be praying for international peace and Canada's role in what's happening internationally right now,” said Grasseschi..Hope on Parliament Hill.The movement is rooted in the call of 2 Chronicles 7:14. When King Solomon had completed building the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, the Lord appeared to him and said, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”Grasseschi said the Scripture’s context is a nation in crisis, and compared it to crises Canada has faced in recent years.“When the nation's in crisis — when there's a pandemic, when there's pestilence, when there's famine, when there's war — what the Lord says to Solomon is, ‘When all this chaos is happening in Israel, and My people come to this place, being the nation's capital, Jerusalem, and they humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their sinful ways, then I will hear from Heaven. I will forgive their sins and I will heal their land,’” said Grasseschi.“Allegorically, Ottawa is kind of like our Jerusalem.”“So this is a biblical prescription for national reconciliation. It's a biblical prescription for bringing prosperity to a nation. And that's people of faith coming together in the nation's capital in humble prayer.”.Christian leaders urge prayer in final weeks of election campaign.Canada joins other nations such as the United States, Switzerland, Ukraine, Australia and the Bahamas in holding a National Day of Prayer. Some of these countries have it established into law, others as a standing tradition led by churches.“We are building a memorial of prayer for our nation. We want our children to grow up and say, ‘I remember when my parents gathered together to pray for Canada — now it’s our turn,’” said Grasseschi.“Prayer and faith in the fabric of our nation is nothing new. The value of prayer is a tradition that Canadians have held deeply for centuries, and still do today. The majority of Canadians, you know, do indicate that they have some sort of level of spirituality and value the virtue of prayer,” said Grasseschi.“And so this is just a continuation of that value and the tradition of prayer in our nation, which has been long-standing.”“What has not been long standing, however, is a dedicated day to pray for Canada.”“This is simply a time for people who believe in the value of prayer, to come together and to pray for our nation.”“And so it really is just that simple, a humble gathering for prayer. And when I say humble, I mean in posture. What's not humble about it is the engagement level.”
