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As South Africa declares a week of mourning for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, many young South Africans are learning about the strides he made against apartheid.
Despite his major influence, some South African youth only had a passing understanding of what he was able to accomplish over his 90 years of life. One such youth is Zinhle Gamede, who told the Associated Press that she had learned more about the Archbishop after hearing of his passing on social media.
"People were saying that he is one of the people that fought for our freedom," she said. "At first I only knew that he was an archbishop, I really did not know much else."
However, as the country grieves their loss and celebrates his accomplishments, Gamede expressed gratitude for the Archbishop's activism against the racist apartheid system. She is among the many who are doing the same. From his support of LGBTQ rights to his commitment to uniting people of all races against apartheid, tributes to the Archbishop continue to pour in from all over the world.
"I think that people who fought for our freedom are great people. We are in a better place because of them," she said. "Today I am living my life freely, unlike in the olden days where there was no freedom."
"As a gay person, it is rare to hear people from the church speaking openly about gay issues, but I found out about him through gay activists who sometimes use his quotes during campaigns," said Morake. "That is how I knew about him, and that is what I will remember about him."
Tshepo Nkatlo, 32, said he is focusing on the positive things he is hearing about Tutu, instead of some negative sentiments he saw on social media.
"One of the things I picked up on Facebook and Twitter was that some people were criticizing him for the TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) because there are still many issues regarding the TRC," Tshepo said, referring to some who say Tutu should have been tougher on whites who perpetrated abuses under apartheid and should have ordered that they be prosecuted.
"But mostly I have been hearing positive things about him," said Nkatlo.
Bells rang at midday Monday from St. George's Anglican Cathedral in Cape Town to honor Tutu. The bells at "the people's cathedral" where Tutu worked to unite South Africans of all races against apartheid, will toll for 10 minutes at noon for five days to mark Tutu's life.
"We ask all who hear the bells to pause their busy schedules for a moment in tribute to Archbishop Tutu," the current Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, said. Anglican churches across South Africa will also ring their bells at noon this week and the Angelus prayer will be recited.
Several services in South Africa are being planned to honor Tutu's life, as tributes came in from around the world.
Tutu's body will lie in state at the cathedral in Cape Town on Friday to allow the public to file past his coffin "which will reflect the simplicity with which he asked to be buried," said Makgoba in a statement. On Friday night Tutu's body will "lie alone in the cathedral which he loved," said the statement.
A requiem mass will be held Saturday and, according to Tutu's wishes, he will be cremated and his ashes placed in the cathedral's mausoleum, church officials said Monday.
In addition, an ecumenical and interfaith service will be held for Tutu on Thursday in South Africa's capital, Pretoria.
South Africans are laying flowers at the cathedral, in front of Tutu's home in Cape Town's Milnerton area, and in front of his former home in Soweto.
"He knew in his soul that good would triumph over evil, that justice would prevail over iniquity, and that reconciliation would prevail over revenge and recrimination. He knew that apartheid would end, that democracy would come," South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said of Tutu, in a nationally broadcast address Sunday night.
"He knew that our people would be free. By the same measure, he was convinced, even to the end of his life, that poverty, hunger and misery can be defeated; that all people can live together in peace, security and comfort," said Ramaphosa who added that South Africa's flags will be flown at half-staff this week.
Ramaphosa urged all South Africans to "pay respects to the departed and to celebrate life with the exuberance and the purpose of our beloved Archbishop. May we follow in his footsteps. May we, too, be worthy inheritors of the mantle of service, of selflessness, of courage, and of principled solidarity with the poor and marginalized."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
