JOHANNESBURG, June 23 -- Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu celebrated his retirement as Anglican archbishop for southern Africa on Sunday with a colorful church service in the South African coastal city of Cape Town. The service at St. George's Cathedral, which was broadcast live on national television, was attended by South African President Nelson Mandela, Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, heads of government from neighboring countries and South Africa's political leaders. Carey described Tutu, who during the 1980s led the fight against apartheid when most other anti-apartheid leaders were either imprisoned or in exile, as a fearless leader totally committed to the vision of a democratic South Africa. Carey presented Tutu, 64, with a new Anglican church award for outstanding service to the Anglican community. Tutu said he was deeply moved and humbled to be the first recipient of an award that Carey said would rarely be given. Mandela told the packed church that Tutu's opposition to apartheid had annoyed many of apartheid's leaders, and noted that the archbishop also annoyed some post-apartheid leaders with his sharp criticism of some leaders jumping on 'a gravy train' and showering themselves with privileges. Mandela, who was warmly embraced by Tutu after his speech, presented the archbishop with South Africa's highest civilian award for meritorious service to the country. It was the first time the new award had been presented. Tutu, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his opposition to apartheid, used his farewell address to thank all those who had helped and supported him.
He made special mention of Mandela and Deputy President Frederik de Klerk, the former president who together with Mandela had led the country from apartheid to all-race elections in 1994. Tutu officially retires at the end of the month but will continue to remain in the spotlight as chairman of the commission charged with investigating human rights abuses committed by all sides during the apartheid era.
