Tutu to be commemorated in stained glass
Cape Town - Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be commemorated in a stained glass window at the Wale Street entrance of St George’s Cathedral as a symbol of hope and peace.
The unveiling will take place on Sunday during the farewell service of Dean Father Michael Weeder, who is retiring.
The service will start at 9.30am and Archbishop Thabo Makgoba is expected to do the unveiling of the window.
This week, Weekend Argus team had a preview of the window which was designed by artist Anika van der Merwe.
Tutu was the Anglican archbishop of Cape Town and a vocal opponent of apartheid.
He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 and was named the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 1995, which sought to investigate allegations of human rights abuses during the apartheid struggle.
Tutu died in December 2021 at 90.
He was a confidant and mentor of Weeder and his ashes were interred at the cathedral.
Weeder, who has been in service as the Dean since 2011, retired and during a recent interview with the Weekend Argus he shared how Tutu “went against the grain” and brought change, even standing in solidarity with the Palestinian nation.
“We’re remembering now the life of servant Mpilo Desmond Tutu, priest, prophet, reconciler, Archbishop of this diocese and province, healer of our nation, rabble-rouser for peace, champion of justice, and inspiration to the world,” Weeder said.
In the window, Tutu is positioned in front of an African sunburst. The sunburst represents the dawn of a new era, signifying hope, enlightenment and a bright future for South Africa and its people.
“Within the shards of the sunburst, we will incorporate quotes and sayings from the Archbishop’s life and speeches,” said Weeder. “These words will follow his remarkable journey, reflecting his dedication to justice and reconciliation.
“The peace lilies symbolise peace, hope and the purity of Tutu’s message.”
During the ceremony on Sunday, Psalm 121 will be read from the Bible, as it was Tutu’s most loved verse.
“The window is over the Wale Street doorway and will preserve our going out and coming in for everyone as we enter and exit the cathedral,” Weeder said.
Another stained glass window will be unveiled soon in the form of Liberation panels.
“The cathedral is publicly celebrated as ‘The Peoples Cathedral’,” Weeder added.
“The Aids Memorial Quilt currently hanging above the Wale Street exit is a quiet prayer for our sisters and brothers who fell victim to the pandemic of HIV/Aids. It one of the rare expressions of contemporary reminders of the wide arc of justice.
“As a cathedral, we could benefit from an artistic representation that reflects a conversation about our liberation history.”
“I envisage a day when the windows above the choir stalls will contain stained glass panels depicting persons who have sacrificed much and who have dedicated their life’s purpose to the struggle for freedom for all in our land.
“They include the following: Krotoa, Lydia Williams, Bantu Stephen Biko, Imam Abdullah Haron, Helen Suzman and Annie Silinga,” he said.