'He truly lived the courage of his convictions': Cape Town Interfaith Initiative honours Tutu

Cape Town's Interfaith Initiative honoured the late Desmond Tutu by laying a wreath outside St George's Cathedral in the city centre on Thursday. 

Braving an unusual morning shower, the diverse group of religious leaders held a prayer  not limited by faith, before joining a queue of hundreds of other mourners hoping to pay their final respects to a global icon for peace. 

Chairperson Rev Berry Behr said Tutu embodied the golden rule of every faith, “do unto others as he would have done unto you”.

“He was not afraid to stand between opposing groups of people, deeply angry people. He was not afraid to stand between a group of people and an army, and if necessary he was prepared to take the fire. He had no fear, only love, and he truly showed us that where there is love there is no space for fear,” she said. 

According to Behr, local flower sellers had gone above and beyond their task and had added a picture of the late Tutu to the wreath. 

She said the response from the public when seeing the wreath truly speaks to the compassion of a man who brought out the best in others.

Tutu will be laid to rest in a category 1 state funeral on Saturday.  

TimesLIVE