Today is the 2025 National Day of Prayer in the U.S. What is it? When and why did it start? Here's what to know about the day and how it's observed.

The first Thursday of May, which is set aside as a National Day of Prayer, is this week. The National Day of Prayer is an American tradition, rooted deeply in the history of the U.S., with origins reaching all the way back to the birth of the nation.

Wesley United Methodist Church in Aurora offered two drive-thru prayer times on Thursday as part of its 24-hour National Day of Prayer event.