THE Queen is to lead tributes to the American evangelist Dr Billy Graham, following his death at the age of 99.
The preacher spread the gospel to more people than anyone else in history and reached hundreds of millions of people either in person or via TV and satellite links during his 70 years in the pulpit, and met the Queen while on missionary work in the UK.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said a private message of condolence is to be sent to Mr Graham’s family, including his son and fellow evangelist Franklin Graham.
Mr Graham died at his home in North Carolina.
In 1996, after he stopped travelling because of Parkinson’s disease, an estimated 2.5 billion people around the world watched his first “televangelist” show, hosted by Sir Cliff Richard.
Mr Graham visited the UK on numerous occasions during his tours, which were referred to as “crusades”, and was awarded an honorary knighthood in 2001.
He travelled to Scotland in 1955, 1961 and 1991, preaching to vast crowds of hundreds of thousands of people at Hampden Park, the Kelvin Hall, Ibrox and Tynecastle.
It was during his first visit to Hampden Park that Mr Graham, moved by the fact that 100,000 had turned up to hear him, said: “We have fallen in love with you people ... we are going to carry away a little bit of Scotland with us.’’ Mr Graham met the Queen several times, including in 1984 when he preached at Sandringham Parish Church.
He became a committed Christian at the age of 16 after hearing a travelling evangelist. He was ordained a minister in 1939, aged 21.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said the preacher was an example to Christians worldwide and had “few equals”.
The Most Reverend Justin Welby said: “Dr Billy Graham stood as an exemplar to generation upon generation of modern Christians.
“When it comes to a living and lasting influence upon the worldwide church he can have few equals: for he introduced person after person to Jesus Christ.
“There are countless numbers who began their journey of faith because of Dr Graham. The debt owed by the global church to him is immeasurable and inexpressible.”
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