Desmond Tutu, Anti-Apartheid Cleric, Dies At 90: How Religious And World Leaders Remembered Him
Desmond Tutu, who fought tirelessly to end apartheid in his native South Africa and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, died Sunday at the age of 90.
Tutu, an Anglican bishop who preached nonviolence, was both mourned and remembered by religious and political leaders in Africa and across the globe. He was the first Black bishop of Johannesburg and later the archbishop of Cape Town, where he died of cancer.
“The death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu (always known as Arch) is news that we receive with profound sadness — but also with profound gratitude as we reflect upon his life,” Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said. “Arch’s love transformed the lives of politicians and priests, township dwellers and world leaders. The world is different because of this man.”
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Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and was known for being both a humanitarian and someone with a wonderful sense of humor. He served as bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 before becoming the archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1994.
“His legacy is moral strength, moral courage and clarity,” Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba added. “He felt with the people. In public and alone, he cried because he felt people’s pain. And he laughed — no, not just laughed, he cackled with delight — when he shared their joy.”
In a message to Tutu’s family, the Vatican said, “His Holiness Pope Francis was saddened to learn of the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and he offers heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Mindful of his service to the Gospel through the promotion of racial equality and reconciliation in his native South Africa, His Holiness commends his soul to the loving mercy of Almighty God.”
The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, recalled, “The friendship and the spiritual bond between us was something we cherished. Archbishop Desmond Tutu was entirely dedicated to serving his brothers and sisters for the greater common good. He was a true humanitarian and a committed advocate of human rights.”
In a statement, former President Barack Obama led the list of political leaders who also remembered Tutu’s hard work and legacy.
President Joe Biden also issued a statement in Tutu's memory: “On this morning after Christmas, we are heartbroken to learn of the passing of a true servant of God and of the people, Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. On behalf of the Biden family, we send our deepest condolences to his wife Leah and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And on behalf of the people of the United States, we send our deepest condolences to the people of South Africa who are mourning the loss of one of their most important founding fathers.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also mourned Tutu's death on Twitter, writing, “The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our nation's farewell to a generation of outstanding South Africans who have bequeathed us a liberated South Africa.”
Starting in 1994, Tutu used his position as chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission “to reckon with oppressive pasts but also to hold the new democratic government accountable,” the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement. “His contributions to struggles against injustice, locally and globally, are matched only by the depth of his thinking. … He was an extraordinary human being. A thinker. A leader. A shepherd.”
Clemente Lisi is a senior editor and regular contributor to Religion Unplugged. He is the former deputy head of news at the New York Daily News and teaches journalism at The King’s College in New York City. Follow him on Twitter @ClementeLisi.