What The Tech App of the Day: Hallow
BY JAMEY TUCKER, Consumer Technology Reporter
Lent began this week, and for millions of Christians, it is a season of reflection, fasting, and prayer. But this year, many of the faithful are turning to their smartphones to help them through the 40-day journey, and one app in particular is taking the country by storm.
It’s called Hallow. You may have seen the commercial during the Super Bowl.
For a lot of people, the focus of Lent is what they’re giving up. But millions are adding something: a daily prayer habit, guided right from their phone. Hallow offers more than 10,000 guided sessions — from the Rosary and Scripture readings to sleep meditations and Gregorian Chant.
Co-founder Erich Kerekes says the app is built for everyone, no matter where they are in their faith journey.
Of course, no one needs an app to pray. But Kerekes says the biggest obstacle for most people isn’t the desire, it’s the follow-through.
“A lot of people don’t set aside the time for silence with God,” Kerekes said. “But if you set a routine up in the app, like every day at 9 am, we’ll remind you at that time. You hit play, and we’ll help guide you.”
The Pray40 Challenge
Each Lent, Hallow runs its signature challenge: Pray40, a commitment to pray every single day from Ash Wednesday through Easter. This year’s theme is The Return, centered on the parable of the Prodigal Son.
You may recognize the faces from the Super Bowl spot: actors Mark Wahlberg, Chris Pratt, and Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the hit series “The Chosen,” are all part of the campaign.
Kerekes extended a simple invitation to anyone on the fence: “We’d love to invite folks to join us in prayer in the Pray40 challenge this year.”
Number One in the App Store
The response has been massive. Just days after Ash Wednesday, Hallow shot past ChatGPT to become the number one most downloaded app in Apple’s App Store.
The app is free to download for both iPhone and Android.
Download Hallow at hallow.com or search for it in the App Store or Google Play
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