Image source,Getty Images
South Africa held a week-long event to commemorate the anti-apartheid leader Archbishop Tutu. Tutu died on Sunday at the age of 90.
The commemorative activities include the official state funeral in Cape Town on January 1st, two days before the official state funeral.
Pope Francis, US President Biden, Queen Elizabeth II and other world leaders expressed their condolences.
Tutu is well-known at home and abroad in South Africa.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that Tutu helped achieve the “liberation of South Africa”.
In 1984, Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his role in the abolition of apartheid. From 1948 to 1991, the South African government, composed of a minority of whites, implemented a system of apartheid against the majority of blacks.
On Sunday, South Africans of different ages and backgrounds came to St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town to present flowers and pay tribute to the national hero.
“His importance transcends the boundaries of Anglicans,” mourner Brent Goliath wept during an interview with AFP.
“I am very sad to hear the news of his death this morning. Thank God, he has been by our side,” Goliath said. He also said that he had met Tutu several times.
World leaders also expressed their condolences for the passing of Tutu.
Image source,Getty Images
In 1993, Tutu watched a live TV broadcast of Mandela and the then South African President De Klerk receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. Just a few weeks ago, De Klerk, the last apartheid president of South Africa, passed away at the age of 85.
Image source,Getty Images
In 1995, Tutu and the Queen of England and South African President Mandela were in Cape Town.
Image source,Getty Images
In 2013, then US President Barack Obama visited the AIDS Foundation Youth Center in Tutu.
Image source,Getty Images
In 2015, Tutu shared a birthday cake with the Dalai Lama in India.
President Biden stated that he “is sad to learn that this man who truly served God and the people has passed away”, and said that Tutu’s “legacy transcends national boundaries and will echo in all ages.”
Former US President Barack Obama called Tutu a “mentor, friend and moral compass.”
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom stated in the letter of condolence that she remembered the scene when she met him. She was very happy and felt his enthusiasm and humor.
“The people of South Africa and many people in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and the entire Commonwealth will perceive the death of Archbishop Tutu, and he is highly loved in these places.”
The Vatican stated in a statement that Pope Francis “expresses his heartfelt condolences to his family and relatives.”
“His Majesty the Pope remembers his contribution to the gospel by promoting racial equality and reconciliation in his native South Africa, and he owes his soul to the love and mercy of Almighty God.”
The Nelson Mandela Foundation also paid tribute to Tutu, saying that Tutu’s contribution to fighting injustice on a local and global scale can only be compared with the depth of his thinking on the creation of a liberating future for human society. It’s comparable”.
“He is an extraordinary man. A thinker, leader, and instructor.”
Just a few weeks ago, FW de Klerk (FW de Klerk), the last apartheid president of South Africa, passed away at the age of 85.
Image source,Getty Images
Tutu is a frequent visitor to the township and often visits these places under the supervision of the police.
Tutu is affectionately called “The Arch”, and people can recognize him at a glance. He wears a purple priest’s robe, has a relaxed manner, and is almost always smiling.
He is not afraid to show his emotions in front of the public. What is unforgettable is that he laughed and danced at the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Although he is very popular, not everyone likes him. He was very dissatisfied with the African National Congress government in the post-apartheid era, and sometimes believed that the government had distorted the image of South Africa. It even warned in 2011 that if the Dalai Lama’s visit was cancelled, he would pray for the downfall of the South African government.
The head of the South African National Police, Gen Bheki Cele, told Tutu to “go home and shut up” in response.
“He is not the deputy of Jesus Christ,” General Sele said.
Tutu was appointed pastor in 1960. From 1976 to 1978, he served successively as Bishop of Lesotho, Assistant Bishop of Johannesburg, and Diocese of Soweto. In 1985, he became the bishop of Johannesburg and was appointed the first black archbishop of Cape Town the following year. He used his reputation to openly oppose the oppression of blacks in his home country, always emphasizing that his motives were religious rather than political.
After Mandela became the first black president of South Africa in 1994, Tutu was appointed as a member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was designed to investigate crimes committed by whites and blacks during apartheid.
He also coined the term “Rainbow Nation” to describe the ethnic integration of South Africa in the post-apartheid era. But in his later years, he regretted that the country was not as united as he dreamed of.
analyze
BBCCorrespondent in Africa Andrew Harding
Without Archbishop Desmond Tutu, we cannot imagine the long and tortuous journey that South Africa will have to go towards freedom and beyond.
When other leaders fighting for freedom were killed, or forced into exile and imprisoned, this small, defiant Anglican priest was present at every stage, exposing the hypocrisy of the apartheid country, comforting the victims, taking responsibility for the liberation movement, and Encouraging Western governments to take action to isolate the white minority government, he unequivocally compares this government to the Nazis.
When democracy came, Tutu used his moral authority to oversee the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which tried to expose the crimes of the white minority government. Later, he set his sights on the failure of the pre-liberation movement in South Africa-the African National Congress in the government.
Today, many South Africans will remember Tutu’s personal courage and his clear moral anger.
But, as those who knew him best often reminded, Tutu always steadfastly uttered a voice of hope. It is this hope, this optimism, along with his iconic giggles, that seems to be shaping a way for the world to remember and praise Archbishop Tutu.