In observance of Holy Week, the White House Faith Office has been rolling out various memorandums while hosting celebratory events.
President Donald Trump held an official Easter dinner on Wednesday night, just ahead of the major Christian holiday on Sunday. The dinner was said to be filled with prayer and worship.
Paul White, senior advisor to the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital in an interview on Wednesday ahead of the event, referencing the full array of Holy Week activities, “It’s going to be an amazing time.” (See the video at the top of this article.)
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At the pre-Easter dinner, the president delivered remarks as planned.
Also on the schedule for the Wednesday night event were hymns from the Marine Corps Band and singer Charles Billingsley was to perform Christian opera, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
A spring baby greens salad was served as the first course, consisting of roasted artichokes and tomato comfit with a preserved lemon vinaigrette, as noted by the White House.
The main course was a pistachio-crusted rack of lamb with grilled heirloom asparagus, young spinach, and a ginger-scented carrot sauce.
For dessert, there was a huckleberry and poached pear croustillant with maple swirl ice cream.
To kick off the events of Holy Week, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation on Sunday.
Jennifer Korn, faith director of the White House Faith Office, told Fox News Digital they “wanted to start out the week very on the right foot.”
Said Korn, “President Trump released that proclamation to make sure that we’re honoring Easter with the observance that it deserves.”
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White shared that while the White House Faith Office assisted with the proclamation, the president “took it to a whole new level.”
Trump’s proclamation reads, “This Holy Week, Melania and I join in prayer with Christians celebrating the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ — the living Son of God who conquered death, freed us from sin, and unlocked the gates of heaven for all of humanity.”
“I’m so proud of our president — and what a contrast to last year, as we know from just how many millions of us that this is our most Holy Week as Christians, as believers,” said White.
White and Korn said the White House Faith Office is engaging with diverse faith communities.
On Thursday, the White House is scheduled to hold a Passover service commemorating the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt.
The White House has also hosted an Iftar dinner with the Muslim community and ambassadors.
“We’ve had over 1,000 diverse faith leaders [at] the White House already. We do briefings, listening sessions, we do working sessions, events,” said White.
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She added, “Jenny [Korn] and I hit the ground running for the president and for this nation, the world and great people of faith.”
White and Korn said religious freedom and religious liberty are their top priorities.
“We’re working with different entities on [a] task force [about] anti-Christian bias, to combat anti-Semitism, to make …. sure that parents who want to go to their school boards are not persecuted. We’re fighting for religious freedom,” said Korn.
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She also noted work with “faith-based organizations on foster care, on combating mental health — which we call brain health and flourishing minds — and prisoner reentry.”
Said White, “Under this administration, President Trump and his administration and the White House Faith Office, we are not just window dressing … We work tirelessly, nonstop, because faith is involved in absolutely everything.”
