30k+ Attend Largest Evangelical Gathering in Belarus – Guest Commentary
Billy Graham, one of the world’s most well-known American evangelists, is estimated to have saved over 3.2 million people through his crusades and evangelical events. Preaching to nearly 215 million people across more than 185 countries in his lifetime, his son Franklin now attempts to carry on the ministry as President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse.
This past weekend, Franklin shared the Gospel with 30,000 people attending a historic worship event in Minsk, Belarus. At the Festival of Hope, he encouraged everyone to “experience a spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ.” He told the Christian Post:
“Tonight you can experience a new birth, a spiritual rebirth through Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t come to condemn you; He came to save you. Jesus said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ There’s no other way to God. He made you, and He loves you, but the only way to be forgiven of your sins and have a personal relationship with Him is through His Son, Jesus Christ.”
In the history of Franklin and Billy’s events, Franklin explained that “something like this has never happened before in the history of the country.” The event included “a 1,300-member choir from 43 cities and villages, as well as an unbelievable symphony orchestra and several local artists.”
Nearly 700 Churches participated in the Festival of Hope events, and the Billy Graham Association distributed more than 2,000 Bibles.
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Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Justin Sullivan/Staff
Originally published May 21, 2026.
