By Dustin Gardiner |The Arizona Republic
The Phoenix City Council meeting on Wednesday began with a “moment of silent prayer” rather than an invocation, marking the end of an approximate 65-year tradition of the governing body.
It’s been two weeks since the council voted to end spoken prayer at its meetings, and the issue continues to reverberate at City Hall, with multiple efforts being made to reverse the decision and lingering tensions between some council members.
Despite the controversy, the moment of silence triggered little fanfare or protests on Wednesday. Council members and residents in the audience briefly closed their eyes and bowed their heads without speaking.
