General Prayer Day, known as Store bededag, is a public holiday observed in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands on the fourth Friday after Easter, falling between April 17 and May 21. Established by King Christian V in 1686, the holiday consolidates several minor Christian holy days into one, serving as a more efficient alternative to the individually celebrated Roman Catholic holidays that persisted after the Protestant Reformation. The holiday survived the great reform initiated by Prime Minister Johann Friedrich von Struensee in 1771. Traditionally dedicated to prayer and fasting, it has evolved into a non-working day where people often purchase and eat varme hveder, a type of bread, on the eve of the holiday, as bakeries are closed on the day itself. The eve is marked by church bells announcing the holiday across Denmark.