, President Obama Began Annual Easter Prayer Holy Week .
Obama welcomed religious leaders to the White House for the fifth-annual Easter prayer breakfast, marking the beginning of Holy Week. Obama also bowed his head as Pastor Joel Hunter gave the opening prayer during the Easter Prayer Breakfast in the East Room of the White House,On April 14, 2014.
At the start of his remarks, the President took a moment to reflect on yesterday’s tragic shootings at two Jewish facilities — a community center and a retirement home — in Kansas. As he said today, “nobody should have to worry about their security when gathering with their fellow believers. No one should ever have to fear for their safety when they go to pray.”
Obama Said” As Americans, we not only need to open our hearts to the families of the victims; we’ve got to stand united against this kind of terrible violence, which has no place in our society. And we have to keep coming together across faiths to combat the ignorance and intolerance, including anti-Semitism”, that can lead to hatred and to violence, because we’re all children of God.
The President added that more than 2,000 years after Christ walked the earth, His life continues to inspire us. “We are drawn to His timeless teachings,” he said, “challenged to be worthy of His sacrifice, to emulate as best we can His eternal example to love one another just as He loves us.”