21,000 at ‘Noi Festival’ in Napoli

The Piazza del Plebiscito, the largest in Napoli (Naples), was filled with 21,000 people on Saturday 14 September for the ‘Noi Festival’.

More than 340 evangelical churches in the Campania region worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) to organise a large outdoor evangelistic event in the city centre, which ended up reaching thousands.

Over 100 buses brought people to event from outside the city.

After the performance of several musical artists, evangelist Franklin Graham spoke about the parable of the Prodigal Son, which is told by Jesus Christ in Luke 17.

“All of us are guilty of sin”, said Franklin Graham, according to the BGEA website. “This young man had a choice. You have a choice tonight. You can accept what Jesus Christ did on the cross. You can come home to your Father in Heaven”.

Churches in the city and beyond are now going to connect with those who expressed interest in knowing more about the Christian faith.

Ahead of the event, the Mayor of Naples, Gaetano Manfredi, said: “We have always had a solid relationship with the evangelical community of Naples based on the principles of brotherhood and solidarity”.

In the last three years, two other Italian cities have organised such an event. Milan had its ‘Noi Festival’ in 2022 and Rome in 2023.