Desmond Tutu’s Funeral to Take Place in Cape Town on New Year’s Day, SA Gets Opportunities to Honour Him

• Archbishop Desmond Tutu's funeral will take place on 1 January, 2022 at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town
• St George's Cathedral will ring their bells for 10 minutes at noon each day this week in honour of Tutu
• The late archbishop is remembered as an anti-apartheid struggle hero and champion for LGBTQIA+ acceptance in churches

CAPE TOWN - Yesterday (26 December), Archbishop Desmond Tutu passed away at Cape Town's Oasis Frail Care Centre aged 90. His funeral will take place in Cape Town on 1 January, 2022.

However, his funeral will not be the only way that Tutu will be memorialised. From today (27 December) until 31 December, St George's Cathedral will ring their bells for 10 minutes at noon each day, giving people a moment to reflect on his life.

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On 31 December, the public will have an opportunity to bid farewell to Tutu as he will lie in state at the cathedral. The funeral on Saturday will be led by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, SABC News reports.

Tutu's legacy: fighting for equality

According to Sky News, Tutu's legacy is one of striving for an equal society. He was Johannesburg's first black bishop and in 1984 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in acknowledgment of his role in human rights advocacy.

The late archbishop was a critic of homophobia, especially in a religious context. He opposed homophobic stances of churches in South Africa. He launched a campaign for LBGTQIA+ and equated the struggle against homophobia with the struggle against apartheid.

Reverend Frank Chikane said that Tutu was a mentor to him and he looks up to the late archbishop as an anti-apartheid struggle hero and protector of black South Africans.

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Reactions to Tutu's funeral announcement

Bahlekazi Nkosi said:

"Rest in revolutionary peace."

Mthabiseni Moyo asked:

"So who will succeed him? Who will take over his throne?"

Sydney Dama Sydney shared:

"He warned us about Jacob. Rest in peace, prophet."

Meneer Godfrey Mokotedi said:

"RIP Archbishop."

Simpae Czemas reported

"No corona numbers to be reported. Tutu is now the 5th wave. The whole week."

Desmond Tutu: Barack Obama shares touching tribute in honour of late bishop

In other news about Tutu's passing, Briefly News reported earlier that former US president Barack Obama shared a heartwarming tribute in honour of the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

Obama took to Twitter where he described Tutu as a "universal spirit" and also mentioned Tutu's sense of humour.

The politician talked about Tutu's struggle for liberation and justice in South Africa and how the late anti-apartheid activist also had concerns about injustices that occurred elsewhere in the world.

Source: Briefly News