Home » Desmond Tutu Honoured for FOUR Decades of Episcopal Ministry

Desmond Tutu Honoured for FOUR Decades of Episcopal Ministry

Congratulations to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu whose four decades of episcopal ministry were celebrated at a special thanksgiving service in Johannesburg today. The service was held at St Mary’s Cathedral where Archbishop Tutu served as Dean prior to being appointed Bishop of Lesotho 40 years ago. The sermon was presented by the Archbishop’s friend and colleague, The […]

By SAPeople
10-07-16 19:59
in Fab South African Stuff

Congratulations to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu whose four decades of episcopal ministry were celebrated at a special thanksgiving service in Johannesburg today.

Desmond Tutu and wife
Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife recently celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary. Source: FB/DesmondTutuOfficial

The service was held at St Mary’s Cathedral where Archbishop Tutu served as Dean prior to being appointed Bishop of Lesotho 40 years ago.

St Marys church
Today’s invitation. Source: Twitter

The sermon was presented by the Archbishop’s friend and colleague, The Reverend Canon Professor Barney Pityana.

The service was attended by Tutu’s family, friends, members of the clergy and several high profile politicians including former South African President Thabo Mbeki.

After the service, Tutu posted a message on Facebook saying: “We were very moved by today’s service at St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate 40 years of my episcopal ministry. Thank you to all participants.”

Earlier this month the archbishop also celebrated his 61st wedding anniversary, reminiscing about how the priest had asked him if Mrs Tutu had changed her mind when she was an hour and a half late for their wedding! When asked how Tutu had proposed, his wife said: “Was he supposed to propose? I chased him and got him!”

WATCH VIDEO: Tutu honoured for his 4 decades of Episcopal Ministry

“Worth is intrinsic to who we are, not dependent on anything external, extrinsic. Thus there can be no superior or inferior race. We are all of equal worth, born equal in dignity and born free, and for this reason deserving of respect whatever our external circumstances. We are created freely for freedom as those who are decision-making animals and so as of right entitled to respect, to be given personal space to be autonomous. We belong in a world whose very structure, whose essence, is diversity, almost bewildering in extent. It is to live in a fool’s paradise to ignore this basic fact.” – Desmond Tutu, 8 July 2016, #BlackLivesMatter