Like angels from heaven, hundreds of "prayer warriors" have descended on Washington D.C. to undertake a crucial mission: protect U.S. President-elect Donald Trump by building a "prayer shield" around him ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration.

Among these prayer warriors are the members of a new group called POTUS Shield (as in President of the United States) who gathered inside the National Press Club on Thursday, CBN News reported.

Pastor Eric Majette from Virginia Beach, Virginia said POTUS Shield is composed of pastors from all over America.

"We're actually a prayer group. We pray for leaders across our nation — a group of pastors come together to pray for our nation and our leaders, particularly the new administration," he said.

Speaking at the gathering, Alveda King, the niece of famed civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the director of Civil Rights for the Unborn, said they are counting on God to bring sweeping positive changes to America.

"We're really not looking for Mr. Trump or any human to change America, but we know God can and will do it," she said.

Pastor Leon Benjamin from Richmond, Virginia addressed the concerns aired by members of the African-American community who fear that the Trump administration will mean trouble for them.

"We must believe for the best," Benjamin told CBN News. "It doesn't matter who is in the White House as long as there is faith that God has not forsaken us and that He has not left us because of a transition of power. That would be dreadful for us as pastors and leaders to say 'Oh my God, we're doomed now!' So we're very hopeful."

Other prayer warriors descended on Capitol Hill to pray not only for Trump but also for Ben Carson, the former Republican presidential candidate and Trump's nominee as Housing and Urban Development Secretary, during his Senate hearing.

Meanwhile, TIME reported that Trump has invited some of his former critics in the Christian community to take part in his inauguration. The weekly magazine found out that Rev. Sam Rodriguez Jr. is expected to stand on the inaugural platform together with Trump and proclaim Jesus' famous words from the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

He will be joined by Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, who is expected to read aloud a passage from Solomon's prayer to God when he became king of Israel. "Even one who is perfect among human beings will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you," the passage reads.

Both Rodriguez and Dolan were known Trump critics during his campaign.