“Happy Birthday Tata Desmond Tutu! Father of Rainbow Nation” means father in Xhosa. This was added to Tsutsu’s large mural by artist Brian Rolf.

“I was very angry when the racist slur was first painted on the mural,” Rolf told The Associated Press.

“But I thought the only way to deal with it was to use positive messages, so I used the same space that graffiti added birthday messages,” in 2017. Rolf, who first painted the landmark murals in downtown Cape Town, said.

“I wanted to thank him for who he was and what he did for South Africa,” he said.

The murals enliven the walls of the Rainbow Academy, which provides training for young artists in disadvantaged areas.

After the end of apartheid in 1994, Tutu coined the term “rainbow nation” to describe how South Africa is a country with equal rights to people of all colors.

Often admired as South Africa’s conscience, Tutu was a major activist for apartheid. Even after South Africa achieved democracy in 1994, he continued to openly uphold reconciliation, justice, and LGBT rights.

South Africans must continue their tutu work for racial equality, said Manfera Ranfere, acting chairman of the Tutu Trusts of Desmond and Leah.

“Racism is a curse that South Africa must flee,” Lanfere said. “The legacy of Archbishop Tsutsu is huge. He fought against racism and for all of us humanity.”

Tutu attended a worship service at St. George’s Cathedral in central Cape Town on Thursday. There, as the first archbishop of the Anglican Black Church in the country, he preached blaming apartheid. His wife, Nomarizoreatsutsu, was also present.

He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his non-violent opposition to South Africa’s system of white minority rule.

After resigning as Archbishop in 1996, Tutu chaired the Truth Commission in South Africa, which investigated human rights abuses during the apartheid era.

Despite the serious nature of his work, Tutu brought uncontrollable humor to his frequent public places.

He especially supported LGBT rights and same-sex marriage.

“I don’t worship the god of homosexuality, and that’s how deep I feel about this,” he said in 2013. “I refuse to go to homosexual heaven. No, I say,” I’m sorry, I’d rather go elsewhere. ” “

“I was as passionate about this campaign (for LGBT rights) as I was with apartheid,” Tsutsu said. For me, it’s the same level. “

He withdrew from public life in 2010 and issued a statement through the Foundation. He has been treated for prostate cancer and was hospitalized several times in 2015 and 2016 and underwent surgical procedures to treat recurrent infections from past cancer treatments.

A fellow anti-apartheid activist, Allan Boesak, will speak at the church service on Thursday. There is also an online seminar on Tutu’s life and values ​​that the Dalai Lama works on. Graça Machel, the widow of Nelson Mandela. Former Irish Prime Minister Mary Robinson; South African Governance Advocates Thuli Madonsela.