Prayer circles are common in many religions, and some of the distinctive features of Latter-day Saint prayer circles in temples can trace their roots back to early Christianity. . For example, the early Christian writing the Acts of John records a prayer circle where Jesus apparently commanded his disciples for form a circle around him, holding hands, while he worshipped, and they all repeated Amen antiphonally. . The Pistis Sophia from the 3rd or 4th century describes the disciples again formin