City of Biloxi observes National Day of Prayer

May 6, 2021

WXXV,

At Biloxi City Hall, Mayor Andrew ‘FoFo’ Gilich proclaimed today a National Day of Prayer for the City of Biloxi.

Created in 1952 by United States Congress, the National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation.

In the City of Biloxi, the day has been celebrated at city hall since 1994, organized by Carleen Hall.

Stanley Hall, Carleen’s husband, said, “She saw that there wasn’t anything going on as far as National Day of Prayer is concerned. So, she had this urging, this desire to start something.”

Carleen Hall died last year. This is the first National Day of Prayer the City of Biloxi has observed without her. “It’s bittersweet. It’s great to see that she was recognized for her effort. It’s kind of sad that she’s not here to be with us.”

But her legacy continues. In 1994, the City of Biloxi observed their very first National Day of Prayer on the steps of city hall. Now, Mayor Gilich declares May 6^th, 2021 National Day of Prayer for the City of Biloxi. National Day of Prayer is now a permanent part of the City of Biloxi. Mayor Gilich said, “We honor her and remember her, but there are some folks that are left behind that were taught by her. So, we are pleased and thankful that we’ll do it again in the future.”

Mayor Gilich also handed off certificates of appreciation to Stan Hall and son Jason Hall acknowledging Carleen’s coordinated efforts for many years of service and commitment to the national day. “It was kind of a surprise for me. To see that she was starting something and it continued, probably the best thing that I could possibly imagine for today.”