Persons Who Will Deliver Invocation and Benediction At Obama Inaugural Are Named

The Washington Post reported yesterday that President Obama has selected the individuals who will deliver the opening and closing prayers at his inauguration ceremony on January 21. The invocation will be delivered by Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers. She will be the first woman and first person who is not a member of the clergy to deliver an Inaugural invocation. The closing benediction will be delivered by conservative Atlanta evangelical pastor Louie Giglio, who draws thousands of college students to his Passion Conferences. One reason for the choice of Giglio is his work in raising awareness of modern-day slavery and human trafficking.  The Constitution's 20th Amendment provides that a President's term starts at noon on Jan. 20th.  Obama will take the oath of office privately on Sunday the 20th, and will then have his formal Inauguration on January 21st that coincides with Martin Luther King Day. The inaugural committee has not yet released details of the Bible that Obama will use for the swearing-in.  The website of the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has a list of the Bibles used in past Presidential inaugurations, and the passage to which it was opened during the swearing-in.