Franklin Graham Holds Largest Evangelistic Rally in Belarus History, Drawing 31,000
Evangelist Franklin Graham held a two-day Festival of Hope in Minsk, Belarus, in May 2026, drawing approximately 31,000 attendees. The event, organized with nearly 700 local evangelical churches, was described as the largest evangelistic gathering in the country's history.
Evangelist Franklin Graham held a two-day Festival of Hope in Minsk, Belarus, in May 2026. About 31,000 people attended the event at the Chizhovka Arena, filling the venue to capacity and sending thousands to an overflow arena nearby.
Nearly 700 evangelical churches across Belarus helped organize the event. A 1,300-member choir drawn from 43 cities and villages performed during the festival, accompanied by a symphony orchestra. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association reported that more than 2,000 Bibles were distributed to people who responded to the gospel invitation.
The day before the festival, Graham met with Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Graham thanked the president for allowing evangelical churches to gather. Lukashenko praised U.S. humanitarian aid to Belarus, noting that two-thirds of the country's humanitarian assistance in the prior year came from the United States.
Graham was accompanied by journalist Greta Van Susteren and her husband, John Coale, who serves as a special envoy for President Trump. Lukashenko asked Graham to pass warm greetings to Trump.
Local church leaders called the event a miracle. Leonid Mikhovich of the Baptist Union said holding a major public religious gathering in a state-owned venue was something they had previously considered impossible. Belarus has historically maintained strict controls on religious activity, and Protestant clergy faced restrictions following the 2020 presidential elections.
