Franklin Graham, the American evangelist and son of the late Billy Graham, is scheduled to visit Nagaland in late November and early December 2025. His itinerary includes a public sermon at Kohima’s Indira Gandhi Stadium on 30 November and participation as guest of honour at the Hornbill Festival’s opening ceremony on 1 December.
The visit carries symbolic weight, marking more than half a century since his father’s landmark 1972 crusade, remembered locally as the “Kohima Miracle.”
Graham’s programme in Kohima is being jointly coordinated by the Kohima Baptist Pastors’ Fellowship and the Nagaland government. He will be formally welcomed on 30 November, the same day he is set to preach at the city’s Indira Gandhi Stadium.
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The following day, which coincides with Nagaland’s Statehood Day, he will appear at the Hornbill Festival opening in Kisama Naga Heritage Village. During the inaugural ceremony, he is expected to deliver a gospel message to accompany the cultural celebrations that draw thousands of visitors each year.
Organisers explained that different calendar windows had been considered earlier, but the final decision settled on these dates, aligning his sermon with back-to-back civic and cultural milestones in the state.
Franklin Graham’s upcoming visit resonates deeply in Nagaland because of memories of Billy Graham’s 1972 crusade in Kohima. That event drew an estimated crowd of more than one lakh people during a period of political unease, and many local residents described it as a turning point for faith in the region. It is still remembered as the “Kohima Miracle,” and in recognition of its impact, the city later named a road Billy Graham Road.
returning to the same city five decades later, Franklin Graham’s visit revives those memories for older residents while also introducing a new generation to the Graham legacy. His presence at the Hornbill Festival, Nagaland’s largest cultural showcase, further highlights the dual focus of both spiritual reflection and civic celebration.
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Planning is already under way, with members of Graham’s evangelistic organisation visiting Kohima to meet with local coordinators and assess venues. Government officials confirmed that a formal invitation was extended and accepted, while visa confirmation for Graham was still in process at the time of scheduling.
Organisers are preparing for large crowds at the stadium event, as well as turnout management at the festival’s opening day, which typically brings together dignitaries, cultural troupes, and visitors from across India and abroad. Coordination between church groups, festival organisers, and civic authorities is expected to intensify as the dates approach.
