So much for the separation of church and state.

Struggling to confront a worsening homicide rate, the mayor asked pastors and citizens Friday to don burlap sacks and ashes Friday in an Old Testament-style sign of biblical repentance.

Mayor Larry Langford said his “sackcloth and ashes” rally at Boutwell Auditorium was inspired by the Book of Jonah, where residents of the ancient city of Ninevah wore rough fabric and ashes as a sign of turning away from sin.

A pastor who helped organize the rally said Langford purchased 2,000 burlap bags that will be handed out at the event. . . . Since he took office last year, Langford has held three prayer rallies as a way of addressing crime and violence. Bibles were handed out at one of the events.

“This city needs to humble itself,” said Langford, a professing Christian.

If you’re wondering why the ACLU isn’t mentioned in the article as objecting it’s probably because this guy is a Democrat, though that isn’t mentioned in the article.  As Glenn Reynolds notes, you have to look him up on Wikpedia to find that out.

If this were a Republican mayor the story would have made the New York Times already.