, who called him “the people’s archbishop.” Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president, appointed Tutu chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which laid bare apartheid’s abuses.“I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this,” he said in 2013 while launching a campaign in Cape Town. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say, ‘Sorry, I would much rather go to the other place.
“From the pavements of resistance in South Africa to the pulpits of the world’s great cathedrals and places of worship, and the prestigious setting of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, the Arch distinguished himself as a non-sectarian, inclusive champion of universal human rights,” Ramaphosa continued in announcing Tutu’s death.. “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.
Former President Barack Obama, likewise a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, wrote on Sunday that Tutu had been “a mentor, a friend, and a moral compass for me and so many others.” He never lost his impish sense of humor and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries, and Michelle and I will miss him dearly.Reaction from other world leaders and notable figures poured in throughout the morning.He was a critical figure in the fight against apartheid and in the struggle to create a new South Africa – and will be remembered for his spiritual leadership and irrepressible good humour.