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South Africa holds week of services, events for Desmond Tutu

Published:Monday | December 27, 2021 | 2:53 PM
Flowers and a thank you note surround a portrait of former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu outside St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa, Monday, December 27, 2021. At midday, bells are rung to honour Tutu, a day after his death. (AP Photo)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa is planning a week of services and events to honour Desmond Tutu's life of activism for racial equality and LGBT rights.

Tutu, the Anglican Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, died Sunday at the age of 90.

Monday, December 27:

— Bells ring at noon for 10 minutes at St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town and other churches across South Africa. The bells will ring for 10 minutes each day this week and people are asked to pause and reflect on Tutu's life.

— South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visits Tutu's home in the Milnerton area of Cape Town to pay his respects to Tutu's widow, Leah, and the family.

— Cape Town's landmark Table Mountain, the Cape Town Civic Centre and the arch at St. George's Cathedral is being lit up in purple in remembrance of Tutu's bishop's robes. The lights will be on the landmarks each night this week until Tutu is laid to rest.

Wednesday, December 29:

— Ecumenical service to be held in Johannesburg, where Tutu had served as the first Black Bishop of Johannesburg in 1985.

— The City of Cape Town to hold an interfaith service for Tutu.

Thursday, December 30:

— Interfaith service to be held in the capital, Pretoria, at St. Alban's Cathedral.

— The Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and the Archbishop Tutu IP Trust will host a gathering in Cape Town.

Friday, December 31:

— Tutu's body to lie in state at St. George's Cathedral as members of the public file past his coffin, “which will reflect the simplicity with which he asked to be buried,” Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba said in a statement.

— Tutu's body will stay alone overnight in the cathedral, “a place which he loved,” according to Makgoba.

Saturday, January 1:

— Requiem Mass at St. George's Cathedral after which Tutu's body will be cremated and his ashes interred at the cathedral's mausoleum, according to his wishes.

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