
The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event held in Washington D.C. on the first Thursday of February. It is an invite-only event, with around 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries. The event is hosted by members of the United States Congress and, until 2023, was organized by the Christian organization Fellowship Foundation. Since then, it has been run by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation. To get invited, you can contact your local congressman or senator and ask for their help in securing an invitation. The event serves as a platform for political, social, and business elites to assemble and pray together, as well as discuss faith and governance.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Annual |
| Date | First Thursday in February |
| Location | Hilton's International Ballroom, Washington, D.C. |
| Attendees | 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries |
| Hosts | Members of the United States Congress |
| Organizers | National Prayer Breakfast Foundation |
| Purpose | Forum for political, social, and business elite to assemble and pray together |
| History | Originated from prayer groups with business and civic leaders in Seattle in the 1930s, initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 |
| Notable Speakers | Mark Scott, Major General Michael Jeffery, Cardinal George Pell, Tim Costello, Bono |
| Related Events | National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast (UK), Australian National Prayer Breakfast |
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What You'll Learn

The National Prayer Breakfast is invite-only
The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event held in Washington, D.C., on the first Thursday of February. It is hosted by members of the United States Congress and organized by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation, previously the Christian organization Fellowship Foundation. The event attracts around 3,500 guests, including political, military, and business leaders, as well as international invitees from over 100 countries.
The National Prayer Breakfast is an invite-only event. If you wish to attend, you must contact your local Congressman or Senator to request their assistance in securing an invitation. The event provides a platform for leaders to assemble and pray together, discuss faith and governance, and express their political agendas. It offers a unique opportunity for foreign leaders to access the President outside of the usual diplomatic protocols.
The origin of the National Prayer Breakfast can be traced back to the 1930s, with prayer groups organized by Abraham Vereide in Seattle. When Vereide moved to Washington, DC, he established similar groups with members of Congress. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower attended a meeting by invitation, marking the initiation of the National Prayer Breakfast as an annual event.
Over the years, the National Prayer Breakfast has featured prominent speakers and musical guests. It has also sparked some controversy, with critics alleging a lack of transparency in the event's coordination and expressing concerns about the organizing group's values and secrecy. Despite this, the National Prayer Breakfast remains a significant gathering for the political, social, and business elite to come together and pray for the nation and its leaders.
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It is hosted by members of the US Congress
The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event held in Washington D.C. on the first Thursday of February. It is hosted by members of the US Congress and was initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. The event has been organised by the Fellowship Foundation, a Christian organisation, on behalf of Congress. However, since 2023, the official event has been run by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation.
The National Prayer Breakfast is an invite-only event, with around 3,500 attendees each year. These include political, military, and business leaders, as well as international participants. If you wish to attend, you can contact your local Congressman or Senator and ask them to help you secure an invitation.
The event is a forum for leaders to assemble, pray, and discuss faith and governance. It has also been described as a platform for unity and reflection among national and international leaders. The National Prayer Breakfast has attracted some criticism, with some suggesting that it provides foreign leaders with access to the President that circumvents the usual vetting process.
The National Prayer Breakfast has inspired similar events in US states and cities and other countries, including Australia and the UK. These events are not associated with the US National Prayer Breakfast.
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It was initiated by President Eisenhower in 1953
The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event held on the first Thursday of February in Washington, D.C. It was initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953, when he attended a meeting by invitation from Congressmen, Abraham Vereide, and Billy Graham. The event was originally called the Presidential Prayer Breakfast, but the name was changed to the National Prayer Breakfast in 1970.
The National Prayer Breakfast has its roots in the 1930s, when Abraham Vereide organised prayer groups with business and civic leaders in Seattle. When he moved to Washington, D.C., he established similar groups with members of Congress. The National Prayer Breakfast has since become a significant annual event, with around 3,500 attendees, including political, military, and business leaders, as well as international participants. It is a forum for these individuals to assemble and pray together, as well as a platform for presidents to express their faith and political agendas.
The event is organised by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation and hosted by members of the United States Congress. It is an invite-only event, and those interested in attending can contact their local Congressman or Senator to request their assistance in securing an invitation. The National Prayer Breakfast has faced some criticism over the years, with concerns raised about the transparency of the event's coordination and the influence it offers foreign leaders in accessing the President.
Since the establishment of the National Prayer Breakfast, several U.S. states, cities, and other countries have been inspired to create their own annual prayer breakfast events, including the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast in the UK and the Australian National Prayer Breakfast. These events provide opportunities for people to come together and pray for their nations and leaders, fostering unity and reflection.
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The event attracts around 3,500 guests
The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event that attracts around 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries. The event is hosted by members of the United States Congress and organized by The Fellowship Foundation, a Christian organization. It is an invite-only event, and guests are typically elite individuals within politics, society, and business. The National Prayer Breakfast provides a platform for presidents and other leaders to express their faith and discuss political agendas.
The event has its origins in the 1930s, when Abraham Vereide organized prayer groups with business and civic leaders in Seattle. When he moved to Washington, D.C., he established similar groups with members of Congress. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower attended a meeting, and the event became known as the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. The name was changed to the National Prayer Breakfast in 1970.
Over the years, the National Prayer Breakfast has featured prominent speakers and musical guests, including Bono, Senator Mark Hatfield, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Andrea Bocelli, and the Dalai Lama. It has also attracted some criticism, with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington asking President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to refrain from attending in 2010 due to concerns about the organizing group's transparency and inclusivity.
If someone wishes to attend the National Prayer Breakfast, they can contact their local Congressman or Senator to request their assistance in securing an invitation. The event is traditionally held in the Hilton's International Ballroom in Washington, D.C., and has become a significant gathering for those interested in faith, politics, and governance.
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It is a forum for political, social, and business elites
The National Prayer Breakfast is an annual event in Washington, D.C., where around 3,500 people, including international invitees from over 100 countries, gather to pray for the nation and its leaders. It is a forum for political, social, and business elites to assemble and pray together. The event has been organised by the National Prayer Breakfast Foundation since 2023, previously it was organised by the Christian organisation Fellowship Foundation on behalf of the United States Congress.
The event is invite-only, and those wishing to attend can contact their local Congressman or Senator to request an invitation. The National Prayer Breakfast has become a significant event in the calendar, where political, military, and business leaders come together to discuss faith and governance. It has evolved from 400 attendees to nearly 4,000 and is a platform for presidents and other leaders to express their faith and political agendas.
The origin of the National Prayer Breakfast can be traced back to the 1930s and the prayer groups with business and civic leaders in Seattle, organised by Abraham Vereide. When Vereide moved to Washington, he established similar groups with members of Congress. In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower attended a meeting by invitation, and the event became known as the Presidential Prayer Breakfast. The name was changed to the National Prayer Breakfast in 1970.
The National Prayer Breakfast has attracted prominent speakers over the years, including Mark Scott, Major General Michael Jeffery, Cardinal George Pell, Tim Costello, Bono, and Senator Mark Hatfield. It has also been addressed by international leaders such as King Abdullah II of Jordan and Ricardo Maduro, the President of Honduras. The event has faced some criticism, with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington asking President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to refrain from attending in 2010 due to concerns about the organising group's lack of transparency and inclusivity.
The National Prayer Breakfast is a highly anticipated event, with attendees travelling from across the globe to participate. It serves as a platform for unity and reflection among national and international leaders, offering a unique blend of faith and politics.
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Frequently asked questions
The National Prayer Breakfast is invite-only and hosted by members of the United States Congress. If you would like to attend, you can contact your local congressman or senator and ask for their help in securing you an invitation.
The event is attended by around 3,500 elite individuals within politics, society, and business, including international invitees from over 100 countries.
The National Prayer Breakfast takes place annually on the first Thursday of February.











































