Mourners have been patiently lining-up outside St George’s Cathedral today to pay their last respects to  Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.

His coffin – a simple pine coffin as per his wishes – arrived at the Cathedral this morning and he will lie in state today and tomorrow, ahead of his funeral on Saturday.

Members of the public are being ushered in through a side door at the Cathedral, and can say their final goodbyes to the Arch until 5pm tomorrow. Access will be granted again at 9am tomorrow, for those who did not have the opportunity to go.

Tutu’s remains will stay in the Cathedral overnight on Friday. His funeral service begins at 10am.

He will be cremated afterwards during a private ceremony and his ashes will be interred inside his stonewalled former parish — where he preached for many years — and where bells have been ringing in his memory for 10 minutes at midday every day since Monday.

PICS: @GovernmentZA