WASHINGTON, D.C. — Under a sweltering May sun, the National Mall was transformed Sunday into a massive open-air cathedral as thousands of Americans gathered for "Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving." The day-long event, billed as a spiritual kickoff to the United States' 250th anniversary, featured a high-profile lineup of administration officials, evangelical leaders, and conservative icons calling for a national return to biblical foundations.
The gathering, organized by the public-private partnership Freedom 250, represented one of the most overt blendings of government and faith in recent memory. From 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the space between the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol echoed with worship music, scripted prayers of repentance, and appeals for divine guidance for the next 250 years of the American Republic.
