Tens of thousands of people attended the Festival of Hope in Madrid on May 30–31, an outreach event organized by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in partnership with hundreds of Evangelical congregations throughout Spain.
The two-day gathering represented one of the largest cooperative evangelistic initiatives in recent years, bringing together churches from a wide range of denominations and regions. Organizers said the event reflected an unprecedented level of collaboration among Spain’s Evangelical community.
Franklin Graham emphasized the breadth of that support in comments shared through his official channels, stating, “Nearly 900 Evangelical churches representing 15 denominations from across the region partnered with us for this festival.”
Attendance exceeded expectations on the opening night. According to figures released by Graham, approximately 12,600 people filled Madrid’s Palacio Vistalegre, while an estimated 2,000 additional attendees were unable to enter after the venue reached capacity.
During his message, Graham focused on the Christian teaching of salvation through Jesus Christ, telling the crowd, “We have all sinned. The Bible says, 'There is none righteous, not even one,' but God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins.”
Following the sermon, large numbers of attendees responded to an invitation to commit their lives to Christ. Those who came forward were connected with counselors from participating churches for discipleship and follow-up ministry.
The event also featured music from several well-known Christian artists. Veteran worship leader Michael W. Smith and singer Charity Gayle led worship sessions alongside Spanish-based groups including the Living Water Gospel Choir and Sing it!
The impact of the festival extended beyond the event itself, attracting significant coverage from Spain’s mainstream media outlets. According to Diario Cristiano Internacional, Protestant gatherings rarely receive such widespread attention from major national newspapers.
Publications including El País and Diario Público highlighted the strong turnout, reporting attendance estimates exceeding 10,000 people per day while examining the continued expansion of Evangelical Christianity in the Madrid region.
Coverage in El País pointed to the growing influence of Latin American immigrant communities, which the newspaper said have played a significant role in strengthening and expanding Evangelical churches across Spain in recent decades.
Several secular media outlets also profiled Graham personally, discussing both his international ministry leadership and his frequently publicized views on political and social issues in the United States.
