Mourners are viewing the body of the late Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Tutu, who is lying in state at the St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town.
Tutu’s body arrived at the cathedral on Thursday morning.
Public viewing started on Thursday and will end Friday. Viewing times are from 9am to 5pm on both days.
Tutu died on Sunday morning at his home in Cape Town. His funeral service will be held on Saturday.
The Anglican Church says Tutu wanted to be buried within a week. Tutu has been granted a Category 1 funeral service by the state.
There is a long queue which seems to be moving quite swiftly. COVID-19 protocols will take place, people will be sanitised and registered and so on.
VIDEO: Cortege arrives at St George’s Cathedral:
Grave
Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba says the public will always have the opportunity to visit Tutu’s grave inside the St George’s Cathedral after his interment.
His remains will be interred inside the Church after he has been cremated. Tutu died on Sunday at the age of 90.
Makgoba says, “So what will happen after the service at the Cathedral, the Archbishop will go to the crematorium and his mortal remains will be cremated and returned to the Cathedral. Thereafter, a private family interment service. Then the Archbishop with then lie in the Cathedral for the rest of the Cathedral’s life and people can come and pay homage and tribute and see his grave or his place of interment at the Cathedral.”
Memorial service
Meanwhile, Tutu’s memorial service is underway at Johannesburg’s Saint Mary’s Cathedral.
Scores of people, faith-based leaders and dignitaries have formed part of the event to celebrate the anti-apartheid giant.
Memorial services are being held in different churches across the country.
People came out in numbers to celebrate the life of the late Emeritus Archbishop. Some of those in attendance include the Tutu family, Johannesburg Mayor, Mpho Phalatse and Reverend Frank Chikane.
Tutu has been one of the leaders who were in the forefront of fighting apartheid in South Africa.
He was also part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the democratic South Africa.
Memorial Service for the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu https://t.co/v2i7ZBSWXT
— City of Joburg (@CityofJoburgZA) December 30, 2021
Additional reporting by Horisani Sithole.
