More than 1 million people joined Lent prayer challenge that began on Ash Wednesday

CHICAGO, Feb. 15, 2024 – Hallow, the #1 prayer app in the world, made history on Wednesday, becoming the first religious app to reach the #1 spot on Apple’s App Store.

Hallow reached the top spot on Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent and the beginning of its Lent Pray40 prayer challenge.

”We’re blown away. When we started Hallow, it would’ve been crazy for us to imagine a thousand people praying together on it, much less 1 million,” said Alex Jones, Hallow CEO and co-founder. “God is doing incredible things. All glory and credit and praise belongs to Him.”

More than 1 million people joined the 40-day prayer series that features Mark Wahlberg, Jonathan Roumie, Fr. Mike Schmitz, Sr. Miriam James and Sr. Mary Bernice.

Roumie and Wahlberg starred in Hallow’s first Big Game commercial on Sunday, leading up to Hallow’s rise to the top of the App Store.

“I’m so proud of our team. They did such incredible work,” Jones said. “And our partners – especially Jonathan and Mark yesterday – were just phenomenal. It’s an honor and privilege to see them use their talents and their platform for the Lord.” 

Hallow surpassed e-commerce app Temu, previously the #1 app, on Wednesday night and continued as the top overall app into Thursday morning.

He Leadeth Me, the spiritual classic that inspires this year’s Pray40 prayer challenge, rose to #2 overall in Amazon’s list of Best Sellers during the same time frame.

With roughly 85 employees, Hallow is a much smaller company than those building many of the other apps that rank highly in the App Store.

“Never in a million years would I have imagined we’d be at the top of the App Store. The other folks in the top 100 apps are just such incredible and popular apps with tens of thousands of employees – Netflix, Spotify, Amazon, Google, Instagram,” said Jones. “What a crazy world.”

Quotes from the Hallow Community

• “It was my first Ash Wednesday after about 20 years away. It was amazing to have Hallow be a part of it”
• “@HallowApp @frmikeschmitz @markwahlberg First Ash Wednesday mass in maybe 12 years. Maybe even longer. Takes me awhile, but I eventually come”
• “Day One of the Lent Pray40 Challenge is amazing… and there’s 39 more to go? This is going to change my life and SO many others. Thank you!”

More Quotes from Alex Jones

• “It can be easy in our world today to feel like we’re losing the fight, like evil and hate and division just always seems to dominate.”
• “But hopefully this can act as some little light for folks – something to reinspire our confidence in God.”
• “I’m so excited to get to pray with everyone this Lent. It is by far the most incredible challenge we’ve ever produced. I can’t wait till people pray with what’s in store. I was just listening to our Saturday sessions with Sr Bernice from Mother Teresa’s order and was left completely in tears. So excited for what Jesus will do in our hearts this Lent!”

About Hallow

Hallow helps people deepen their relationship with God through audio-guided prayers, sleep meditations, Bible readings, meditations, and music. The app has more than 10,000 sessions including a Daily Rosary, Daily Gospel, Daily Saint, Novenas, Examens, Father Mike Schmitz’s Bible in a Year, The Chosen’s Jonathan Roumie’s audio Bible, Bishop Barron’s Sunday Sermons, peaceful Christian music, Gregorian chant, and so much more. Launched in December 2018, Hallow is now the #1 Catholic app in the world and has been downloaded 14 million times and used to pray over 400 million times across 150-plus countries.

Contact

Stephen Spiewak

stephen@hallow.app