By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
File:Dancing at a celebration of His Holiness’s 80th birthday. Photo Credit: Tenzin Choejor.
Immediately on being informed that his “respected elder spiritual brother and good friend” Archbishop Desmond Tutu had passed away, His Holiness the Dalai Lama composed a letter to the Archbishop’s daughter, Rev. Mpho Tutu.
“Please accept my heartfelt condolences,” he wrote, and convey the same to your mother and other members of your family. I pray for him.
“As you know, over the years, your father and I enjoyed an enduring friendship. I remember the many occasions we spent time together, including the week here at Dharamsala in 2015 when we were able to share our thoughts on how to increase peace and joy in the world. 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. His work for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was an inspiration for others around the world.
“With his passing away, we have lost a great man, who lived a truly meaningful life. He was devoted to the service of others, especially those who are least fortunate. I am convinced the best tribute we can pay him and keep his spirit alive is to do as he did and constantly look to see how we too can be of help to others.”
England’s Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has described the late Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu as a pioneer and a man of words and action.
Welby said Tutu transformed the lives of many and that the world was different because of him.
“Archbishop Tutu was a prophet and priest, a man of words and action, one who embodied the hope and joy that were the foundations of his life. He was a man of extraordinary personal courage and bravery: when the police burst into Cape Town Cathedral, he defied them by dancing down the aisle. He was a man of enormous vision: seeing the possibilities for building the Rainbow Nation long before anyone else, except perhaps President [Nelson] Mandela,” Welby said in a statement.
Referring to Tutu’s anti-apartheid activism, Welby said he was a great warrior for justice who never stopped fighting.
He said:”He was a great warrior for justice who never stopped fighting – whether it was for those in his own country, for inclusivity in the South African Constitution, or for those suffering injustice around the world. We are thankful today for such a life so well lived, even as we feel the sorrow of such great loss.”
Tutu is survived by his wife, four children, seven grandchildren and great-grandchildren.