Former Irish President Mary Robinson paid tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Saturday (January 1) during his state funeral service that took place in Cape Town’s St George’s Cathedral.
During her prayer, Robinson said Tutu served the Church with “diligence and devotion.”
Tutu, who was awarded the Nobel Peace prize in 1984 for his non-violent opposition to white minority rule, died last Sunday aged 90.
Tutu’s body will be cremated and then his ashes interred behind the cathedral’s pulpit in a private ceremony.
Widely revered across South Africa’s racial and cultural divides for his moral integrity, Tutu never stopped fighting for his vision of a “Rainbow Nation”, in which all races in post-apartheid South Africa could live in harmony.
Earlier this week, hundreds of well-wishers queued to pay their last respects, as his body lay in state at the cathedral.
True rainbow nation
Speaking earlier at Tutu’s official funeral service at the St Georges’ Cathedral, President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed gratitude for Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s efforts in helping build the nation.
“Though we say goodbye to him today with the heaviest of hearts, we salute our beloved Arch for all that he did to help build this nation. We thank him for giving us hope. Our responsibilities as a people and as leaders, and for giving us a reason to believe that we are and can be a true rainbow nation that he spoke about.”
The funeral was attended by several dignitaries including former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and his wife Zanele, Kgalema Motlanthe and his wife Gugu, former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Lesotho’s King Letsie the third and the Reverend Allan Boesak.
President Ramaphosa says The Arch was an exemplary leader.
“Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been our moral compass and national conscience. Even after the advent of democracy, he did not hesitate to draw attention, often harshly, to our shortcomings as leaders of the democratic State. He saw our country as a ‘rainbow nation’, emerging from the shadow of apartheid, united in its diversity, with freedom and equal rights for all. The Arch bequeathed us many things – the importance of having the courage of one’s convictions, solidarity with the oppressed, delivering on the promises made by the Constitution, and many others.” -Additional reporting by Ntebo Mokobo
