Trump Carried Bible From Boyhood Church In Queens While Taking Oath Of Office
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Something President Donald Trump has held onto for decades was with him as he took the oath of office on Friday.
It came from Jamaica, Queens when he was a young boy.
As CBS2's Erin Logan reported, there's one bible that President Trump has referred back to since he got it from a Jamaica, Queens church in 1955.
"He had it with him. He showed me the copy," Rev. Patrick Hugh O'Connor said.
The president had it with him while he was sworn in as the nation's 45th president. Rev. O'Connor -- of the 325-year-old Presbyterian church -- said he heard all about the bible that the president got while in Sunday school. The two met for the first time in person on Wednesday at Trump's office.
"He shared how fundamental his time at the church was," O'Connor said.
Not only was the reverend impressed that President Trump kept the bible from the church for over 60 years, he's also happy to hear that someone from the church made such an impact on him.
"The Sunday school teacher who is now 96-years-old, who had helped to shape his journey," O'Connor said.
He even had a letter for her.
"The letter said simply to her, 'thank you very much for your support," he said.
The reverend described his meeting with the president as pleasant. The main purpose was to pray with him as he took on the most powerful role.
"There's mixed feelings about Mr. Trump, and some of the things he's said. Personally, I'd like to see him succeed," O'Connor said. "He talked about the support he got from Evangelicals. We explained we are not Evangelicals. We represent other Americans. Other Americans, Christians, religious groups who just want the country to be a place of fairness."
Reverend O'Connor said he invited President Trump back to the church in the near future to show him just how different and diverse it is from the days he and his family sat up in the balcony.
