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New statue honouring Archbishop Desmond Tutu commissioned for Salisbury Cathedral

A STATUE of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been commissioned for Salisbury Cathedral.

A depiction of the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Tutu (1931-2021) is set to join 81 other statues on the West Front

The statue is to serve as a permanent reminder to his links to the cathedral, as he was a Sarum Canon, having been installed at Salisbury Cathedral in 2008, when he also preached and visited the Cathedral School.

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The Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral, the cathedral’s governing body, wants to honour Archbishop Tutu and acknowledge his links to the cathedral’s foundation.

If approved by the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England, his statue will be positioned in a vacant niche on the West Front of the Cathedral, befitting a person of Archbishop Tutu’s global standing.

The new statue is approximately two metres high and will be carved from Chicksgrove limestone by stonecarver and sculptor Jay Battle.

The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, Dean of Salisbury, said: “Salisbury Cathedral treasures its copy of Magna Carta, a landmark attempt to speak truth to the powerful and to call them to account.

The West Front of Salisbury Cathedral Picture: Martin Cook

The West Front of Salisbury Cathedral Picture: Martin Cook

“To honour Archbishop Tutu is to honour a holy and courageous leader whose faith compelled him to speak truth to the powerful and call them to account. We were honoured when he accepted the position of Sarum Canon and visited the Cathedral in 2008.

“Since his death the Chapter have sought a way to pay tribute to his life’s work and celebrate our connection in a visible and lasting way. Commissioning a new statue for the West Front is entirely fitting and will ensure that Archbishop Tutu’s service and example are remembered for many generations to come.”

The oldest of the statues on the West Front date from the early fourteenth century, while the most recent to be commissioned was of Canon Ezra Baya Lawiri in 2007.

The decision to approve a new statue resides with the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England.

Following initial discussions between the Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral and representatives of the Commission, a formal application will be made in the coming months, and a final decision is anticipated later this year.

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