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Prayers To End City Violence, Safety For Students In City's Annual Blessing

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- As Christians around the world and here in Baltimore mark the start of their Holy Week, one group of churches is teaming up to bless Baltimore.

But as Gigi Barnett explains, the annual blessing of the city has a different location this year.

Every year when city leaders gather on Palm Sunday for the annual blessing of Baltimore, it's held at City Hall.

But this year, organizers changed location to the historic St. James Episcopal Church.

The one-year anniversary of the Freddie Gray riots is coming up, and organizers say the prayers need to happen in the community.

"To let the people in this community, those who live and work in this area, know that they have not been abandoned or forgotten, but that we stand with them in prayer," said Rev. Dr. Allen Robinson, St. James Episcopal Church.

And so, they prayed for first responders.

"Be with them as they continue their diligence on the streets and in the battlefield so that we are always protected daily," said M'lynn Bedel Grah.

City leaders, like police commissioner Kevin Davis and mayoral candidate Sheila Dixon, were in the pews asking for divine help on tough issues.

"There's a power in prayer and there's a power in people coming together," said Police Commissioner Kevin Davis. "So, I feel it. While you can't necessarily measure it and quantify it with numbers, you know it when it exists."

They prayed for the homeless, an end to city violence and safety for city students.

"You can go on any street and not get robbed. These are things that happen in this city every single day, dear lord, and we can stop it with the help of each other," said Jerrod Taylor.

"I pray for every kid that's thinking of bringing a weapon to school to use, to think twice about their actions," said Donald Burton Smith.

After the service, members of the church marched around the historic Lafayette Square to mark the blessing of the city.

Several Baltimore churches took part in the blessing of the city. This year, organizers asked some teens to say the prayers instead of adults.

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