New ordinance only allows the chaplains of the city police and fire departments to open the meetings with prayer.

The Council had approved a moment of silence to replace the regular prayers after a Satanist from Tucson was scheduled to give an opening prayer in February. The new ordinance only allows the chaplains of the city police and fire departments to open the meetings with prayer.

“What we passed was reinstituting invocation or prayer at the city of Phoenix,” Councilman Sal DiCiccio told the Catholic News Agency, “we made it stronger than it ever has been in its 65-year history.”

CitizenLink’s allied policy group, the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP), is thrilled with the vote.

“Prayer has been a part of the legislative process throughout our nation’s and our state’s history,” CAP President Cathi Herrod said. “Allowing this cherished tradition to continue with a commonsense, respectful policy is the right decision for the City of Phoenix and its citizens.”