Orthodox Church of America Priest Opens Pennsylvania State Senate Session with Prayer

On May 12, 2025, Archpriest Kirill Zawatski, rector of the Holy Ascension Church in Frackville and administrator of St. Mary’s parish in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, serving the Orthodox Church of America, offered the opening prayer at the Pennsylvania State Senate session. The priest served as chaplain for the day at the invitation of Senator David Argall. This was reported by Orthodox Christianity.

Father Kirill shared his impressions of the event on social media, expressing gratitude to Senator David Argall for the warm invitation. “It was a humbling privilege to lift them up in prayer and ask the Lord to bless their work and lead them in the pursuit of what is good, true, and righteous for the people of this Commonwealth” the priest said. He emphasized that participating in this event was an opportunity to bear witness to the presence of God in the public square.

Earlier, on May 2, National Day of Prayer, Donald Trump announced the creation of a Religious Freedom Commission by signing an executive order at the White House. “We are bringing religion back to America—quickly and decisively,” he stated during his remarks in the Rose Garden. According to Trump, “America can only be a great nation when it is a nation under God.”