Gov. Tate Reeves declared Sunday, Dec. 20, a voluntary day of prayer, humility and fasting during a ceremony on Wednesday.

“As we close out this year, I felt the need to go to God in prayer for our state,” he said at the ceremony. “Ever since the beginning of this pandemic, we’ve tried to hold opportunties for our fellow Mississippians to pray — to pray together, so we can be together. We know that there is power in prayer.”

Reeves said that 2020 has been a challenging year for many Mississippians and that there has been “so much suffering.”

“There are people who have lost their homes to natural disasters,” Reeves said, “people who have lost friends and family to COVID-19, people who have lost their businesses and people who have lost their livelihoods and their work because of this pandemic.”

“There are many, many Mississippians whose mental health is struggling at best,” he continued, “and there are many of our fellow Mississippians who feel isolated or feel depressed.”

He also acknowledged Mississippians who have “stepped up to fight back” during the pandemic, including teachers, other employees in the educational system, frontline workers, grocery store workers, scientists and pastors.

During the ceremony, Reeves signed a proclamation declaring Sunday a day of prayer, humility and fasting. Rev. David Tipton read the proclamation out loud and offered a prayer. While reading the proclamation, Tipton said that past Presidents, such as John Adams and Abraham Lincoln, proclaimed days of prayer.

“In this season, we acknowledge the challenges and difficulties that many Mississippians have experienced during this unique time in the life of our state and nation,” Tipton read from the proclamation.

Rev. Danny Powell offered a prayer at the end of the ceremony.

“I pray, Lord, that you would continue to guide,” he prayed. “We pray for healing. We pray for health.”