Family, friends and dignitaries gathered for the state funeral of Archbishop Desmond Tutu on New Year’s Day in Cape Town following a week of events to honour him.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu died at the age of 90 after being in poor health for several years. The death of the anti-apartheid hero sparked a global outpouring of tributes.
At the funeral, which was held at St. George’s Cathedral, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the main eulogy. in his speech, he described Tutu as a man with faith as deep as it was abiding.=
“Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been our moral compass and national conscience,” Ramaphosa said. “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.”
“He embraced all who had ever felt the cold wind of exclusion and they in turn embraced him,” Ramaphosa added, praising Tutu’s advocacy for LGBTQ rights, campaigning against child marriage, and support for the Palestinian cause.”
Tutu’s daughter Naomi also paid tribute to her father and thanked the public for their prayers. “Thank you, daddy, for the many ways you showed us love, for the many times you challenged us, for the many times you comforted us,” she said.
