President Donald Trump participated in an Easter Blessing from the Oval Office on Good Friday.
Trump said:
"On this Good Friday, Christians from all around the world remember the suffering and death upon the cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. At Easter Sunday we will celebrate His glorious resurrection. At this holy time, our nation is engaged in a battle like never before, the invisible enemy. Our brave doctors, nurses, responders, first responders, responders of all, are fighting to save lives. Our workers are racing to deliver critical medical supplies. Our best scientists are working around the clock to develop life saving therapeutics and I think they're doing really well in doing so.
"Our people are making tremendous sacrifices to end this pandemic. Though we will not be able to gather together with one another as we normally would on Easter, we could use this sacred time to focus on prayer, reflection and growing in our personal relationship with God - so important.
"I ask all Americans to pray that God will heal our nation, to bring comfort to those who are grieving, to give strength to doctors, nurses and health care workers to restore health to the sick, and to renew the hope in every person who is suffering. Our nation will come through like never before.
Trump thanked those who have prayed and reaffirmed the power of prayer.
"As our nation battles the invisible enemy, we reaffirm that Americans believe in the power of prayer. We give thanks for the majesty of creation and for the gift of eternal life and we place our trust in the hands of almighty God," he said.
The full text of Donald Trump's Easter message is below:
Well, thank you very much. On this Good Friday, Christians from all around the world remember the suffering and death upon the cross of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. At Easter Sunday, we will celebrate his glorious resurrection.
At this holy time, our nation is engaged in a battle like never before — the invisible enemy. Our brave doctors, nurses, and responders — first responders, responders of all — are fighting to save lives. Our workers are racing to deliver critical medical supplies. Our best scientists are working around the clock to develop lifesaving therapeutics, and I think they're doing really well in doing so. Our people are making tremendous sacrifices to end this pandemic.
Though we will not be able to gather together with one another as we normally would on Easter, we can use this sacred time to focus on prayer, reflection, and growing in our personal relationship with God. So important.
I ask all Americans to pray that God will heal our nation; to bring comfort to those who are grieving; to give strength to the doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers; to restore health to the sick; and to renew the hope in every person who is suffering. Our nation will come through like never before.
I thank the many families who have prayed for me and for my family. And your prayers are felt, and I am forever grateful.
I'd like to thank our great Vice President and his wonderful wife, who we all know very well, Karen, for the incredible job they do and for their service not only to the country but for their service to God.
Almost 3,000 years ago, the Prophet Isaiah wrote these words: "Darkness covers the Earth…but the Lord rises upon you, and His glory appears over you…For the Lord will be your everlasting light."
As our nation battles the invisible enemy, we reaffirm that Americans believe in the power of prayer. We give thanks for the majesty of creation and for the gift of eternal life. And we place our trust in the hands of Almighty God.
I'd like to just wish everybody a very Happy Easter. We're going to be celebrating that very, very special day, and it's going to be, hopefully, a very good weekend and a very productive weekend.
And I want to thank everybody in our country and beyond for all they've had to put up with. One hundred and eighty-four countries, as of this morning, are fighting this enemy and we pray for them all.
