The funeral service for the world-famous human rights activist and retired Anglican Archbishop, who had died the previous Sunday, took place in St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town.
“If we understand the term ‘global icon’ to mean that it has great moral stature, performs exceptional qualities and performs a service to humanity, there can be no doubt that it refers to the man we are burying today,” said President Cyril Ramaphosa during his funeral address. Tutu was a crusader in the fight for freedom, justice, equality and peace, not only in South Africa, but worldwide.
Ramaphosa described Tutu as a “humble and brave man” who spoke out on behalf of the oppressed and suffering of the world. Since the end of apartheid, Tutu had also campaigned for the fight against climate change, HIV, child marriage and gender discrimination. “He never stopped fighting, he never stopped speaking his mind, and he never stopped worrying,” said Ramaphosa. Tutu was South Africa’s “moral compass and national conscience”.
Ramaphosa Tutu’s widow Leah then presented South Africa’s six-colored flag, on the basis of which Tutu coined the term “rainbow nation”, which describes the peaceful coexistence of South Africa’s numerous population groups after apartheid. Tutu’s ashes were later to be buried in a mausoleum inside the cathedral, from whose pulpit Tutu had preached against the brutality of the apartheid regime for many years.
Together with Nelson Mandela, Tutu had fought against the South African system of apartheid, which divided people into races according to skin color and ensured white supremacy over the vast majority of blacks. While Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, Tutu became the voice of resistance. In 1984 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent work.
Tutu and Mandela became the founding fathers of democratic South Africa. After the end of apartheid, Tutu campaigned for the reconciliation of blacks and whites and against poverty. At the request of Mandela, who was elected the first black president of South Africa in 1994, he took over the chairmanship of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1996, which dealt with the crimes of apartheid under Tutu’s motto “Forgive, but not forget!” followed.
The clergyman died on Sunday at the age of 90. Since then, flags have been waving at half-mast on public buildings; Church bells all over South Africa have been rung daily in Tutu’s honor since Sunday. On Thursday and Friday, South Africans could say goodbye to tutu at his coffin laid out in St. George’s Cathedral.
The tutu, famous for its modesty, was laid out in a simple coffin while the family asked for charitable donations in lieu of flowers. The mourners of the deliberately simple ceremony were limited to close friends and family, clergy and a few international guests, including King Letsie III. from neighboring Lesotho.
«We shared him with the world, and you shared with us some of the love you had for him … We say thank you, Daddy, for the many ways in which you showed us love, for the many Ways you challenged us, “said Tutu’s daughter Naomi. Mandela’s widow Graҫa Machel and former Irish President Mary Robinson read prayers. Tutu is “respected worldwide for its commitment to justice, equality and freedom. Today we mourn his death, but reaffirm our determination to keep his faith alive, ”Robinson wrote on the short message service Twitter. South Africans watched the funeral service live on television.