The late Rev. Graham is immortalized in a statue at US Capitol
A bronze sculpture of the late Rev. Billy Graham was unveiled at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, with Christianity’s most prolific evangelist once known as “America’s Pastor” immortalized in the halls of Congress on behalf of his native North Carolina.
Graham’s likeness, depicting the Charlotteborn minister with his archetypal gesture toward an open Bible in his hand, was revealed inside National Statuary Hall during a gathering attended by House Speaker Mike Johnson, Gov. Roy Cooper, former Vice President Mike Pence, state congressional and legislative members and Graham’s family.
The 7-foot tall statue is one of two North Carolina and each state get to place on display inside the hall or elsewhere in the Capitol to honor notables in their history. The process for Graham’s statue to replace one of North Carolina’s began nine years ago.
“Billy Graham finally takes his rightful place on these hallowed grounds of American democracy,” Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana said at the dedication ceremony. As with other speakers, Johnson recalled the personal importance Graham’s ministry of preaching the Christian gospel had on them and their families: “Billy Graham is such a towering figure in my life, and he is in all of our lives.”
Graham, who lived most of his adult life in the mountain community of Montreat, died in 2018 at age 99. Graham was the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, preaching in person to nearly 215 million people worldwide, according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
An adviser of presidents from Dwight Eisenhower to George W. Bush, Graham influenced both the political and spiritual realm during his ministry career. As a symbol of that nexus, Graham’s body had lied in honor in the Capitol Rotunda after his death, marking just the fourth private citizen at that time to receive the distinction.
The North Carolina General Assembly approved legislation in 2015 asking a congressional committee to eventually approve a likeness of Graham for display in the hall. Rules say a person’s statue can only be installed posthumously.