Contact: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Christian Defense Coalition and Faith and Action will begin their prayer vigil at 10:00 a.m. when the one hour oral arguments begin in the court.

The prayer vigil will be on the public sidewalk in front of the United States Supreme Court.

The groups will be praying that religious freedom and the First Amendment are protected by the Justices and the government is not allowed to dictate to clergy what kind of prayers they must pray at public meetings.

Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, states;

"Greece v. Galloway will be the most important religious freedom case heard by the Supreme Court in almost 30 years.  Our hope and prayer is that the Justices will embrace religious freedom and the First Amendment and not allow the government to dictate to clergy how they are to pray at public gatherings.

"Every American should be allowed to express their faith traditions, practices and beliefs in the public square free from government interference and control regardless of what those traditions and beliefs might be.

"By ordering 'non-sectarian' prayer, the government is telling telling clergy how they are to pray and what they are to include in their prayers.  This is extremely troubling and a clear trampling of the First Amendment. Think of the outrage that would occur if the government told political leaders what the content of their speech would have to be.

"The First Amendment promises freedom 'of' religion not freedom 'from' religion and it is not the role of the government to dictate to faith leaders how they are to pray and express their beliefs in the public square."

Rev. Patrick Mahoney and Rev. Rob Schenck will be available for comments throughout the morning.

For more information or interviews contact:
Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741