Prayer service for Tutu, Albertyn
Cape Town-150906-The Anglican Church's Diocese of Cape Town held a prayer service for Bishop Emeritus Charles Albertyn and Archbishop Emerirus Desmond Tutu at the Chuech of the Resurrection in Bonteheuwel. Family members hold hands while Dean Rowan Smith intecedes. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams. Reporter Siya. Cape Town-150906-The Anglican Church's Diocese of Cape Town held a prayer service for Bishop Emeritus Charles Albertyn and Archbishop Emerirus Desmond Tutu at the Chuech of the Resurrection in Bonteheuwel. Family members hold hands while Dean Rowan Smith intecedes. Picture Jeffrey Abrahams. Reporter Siya.
Siyavuya Mzantsi
AS MESSAGES of support continue to pour in for Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Archbishop Emeritus Charles Albertyn, a special prayer service was held at the Church of Resurrection in Bonteheuwel on Sunday.
The service came two days after Tutu was discharged from hospital following almost two weeks of medical treatment, and Albertyn remains in hospital where he is being treated for pneumonia. Tutu has been in and out of hospital for the past six weeks to get intensive antibiotic treatment for a stubborn infection.
The service, attended by more than 100 people, was to pray for Tutu and Albertyn’s healing. The event was organised by the Anglican Diocese of Cape Town.
Tutu was “very touched” that a prayer service was held for him and Albertyn.
Tutu’s daughter, Reverend Canon Mpho Tutu, said her father was doing well and was happy to be back home with his family. “
My father is beginning to realise that he is not as young as he thought he was. It will take time, but it is good that he is back home,” Mpho said.
She said her mother, Leah, was “very thrilled” that Tutu was back home as they enjoyed each other’s company.
“We, who are baptised, are baptised in one body – one family. We all belong to Christ. Each one of us is family of Archbishop Albertyn.
“Each one of us is family of Archbishop Tutu. Some of Archbishop Albertyn’s family are sitting next to his hospital bed because that’s where that part of his family needs to be,” said Mpho.
A candle was lit in thankfulness to God for the light and witness of Tutu and Albertyn.
Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba told the gathering that Tutu had considered coming to the prayer service. The Archbishop said had Albertyn and Tutu been at the service, they would have “giggled with each other”.
Makgoba shared some of his memories of when Tutu and Albertyn were together. “When I visited him (Tutu) in hospital, he laughed so hard that he cried. Some of you will remember how both Archbishop Charles and Archbishop Tutu laughed so much at Archbishop Tutu’s 80th birthday when Archbishop Albertyn forgot that he should have preached but arrived late,” he said
siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za