We’ve been looking forward to this one all week 🔥 It is the battle of the 🇿🇦Arches🇺🇬!!! The Elate Eight brings us a showdown for the ages. The man who took out Elizabeth Seton, Edith Stein, and apartheid itself… it is Archbishop Desmond Tutu 🙌
But his opponent is no slouch. He has taken down Wang Zhiming, Damien of Hawaii, and stood boldly against Idi Amin. Bishop Pogo’s favorite saint… Archbishop Janani Luwum ✝️
The whole continent of Africa has to be watching as the Archbishop of Cape Town🇿🇦 meets the Archbishop of Uganda🇺🇬. This is a vote to watch across time zones
Who will join our first entrant in the Faithful Four after a huge upset… Martin Luther, who just took down Joan of Arc 54.35 to 45.65% ⚔️🔥
Watch, read, and VOTE 🗳️
Janani Luwum
I am so excited that Janani Luwum made it through to the Elate Eight because I had so much more I wanted to share about him with the readers of Lent Madness in the Saintly Sixteen round. However, my original 2,500-word paper needed some serious trimming. This week, I thought it would be fun to share more of the personal side of Luwum—especially as there appears to be exactly one merchandise item on the internet in his honor of him.
Many were incredibly moved by Janani’s quote about praying for the president. I wonder if Luwum would have had a bumper sticker like this to remind people to pray for the Amin regime.
Janani also stated that the only weapon he possessed was his Bible. It was his means of resisting oppression and one he used with remarkable courage.
Janani was multitalented, able to turn his hand to just about any task, project, or challenge. He was also known for his skill in dancing and playing the lukeme. Could you play as well as he did?
At age 20, he planned a wedding and tea party for one of his best friends. Throughout his life, Janani shared countless cups of tea with people who sought his counsel, help in finding loved ones, spiritual guidance, friendship, and much more. He was known for welcoming others into his home with tea and even had tea on numerous occasions with Idi Amin.
Janani is remembered for his stick figure drawings. Laugh all you want, but they earned him the top grade in “practical teaching,” a skill he used throughout his career. From the sounds of it, he likely continued dazzling people with his art as well. His Biblical story illustrations remain what he is best known for.
Janani was known for building items out of “nothing”. Chicken coops out of 50-gallon drums were his specialty.
The one piece of merch I could find was a sticker by Lansing Creative with a beautiful quote and image of Janani.
Lastly, many people have asked what books I would recommend for further reading about Janani Luwum. The most comprehensive is Janani: The Making of a Martyr written by his secretary, Margaret Ford. I found it rich in personal details. The other two books each devote a section to him: A Dangerous Dozens and Clouds of Witnesses.
As I said before, Janani truly embodies this year’s Lent Madness theme of Bridge Builder and Community Maker. He cared for friends and enemies alike, used his many skills to serve the communities and world entrusted to him, and left behind a legacy that deserves to be shouted from the rooftops—or perhaps shared over a cup of tea.
— Sara Kay Hill
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu is one of the more recent saints in this year’s matchups, so his merch and kitsch game is strong. There are myriad T-shirts, posters, and art related to him and his words, but I want to focus on some of the more unique offerings that honor him.
Kelly Latimore Icons offers a simple prayer candle, but if you need the Arch nearby more often Pocket Peacemakers on Etsy has a Pocket Desmond Tutu that is more portable. If you like figurines, but prefer something more detailed, Zapiro Collectables made one for the Archbishop. If this is still too small for your needs, there is a 2-foot-tall cardboard cut-out for your home or office through Celebrity Cutouts.
The Arch’s message is for people of all ages, and he wrote the Children of God Storybook Bible where he retells 50 of his most beloved Bible stories. As you read a bedtime Bible story to your child, they can curl up with the Desmond Tutu Zuko doll, made in Cape Town by Ethline Manqaba. It will be almost like he’s really there!
For those who have their eyes on something more collectable, consider these Solomon Island stamps (sold by Vt-lady 2024 on Ebay) or an authenticated typed and signed letter. For a real investment, check out the $1500 autographed baseball from Showpieces Sports. (For the record, I could find no evidence that The Arch was an avid baseball fan. He is known to have once said “I didn’t know baseball from ping-pong” when speaking of his admiration of Jackie Robinson. I guess you have to purchase the item to hear how and why it came to be…)
I think the greatest pieces of “merchandise” for the Archbishop are his words of wisdom. Consider meditating on his words in this PDF embroidery pattern from Kiffstitch on Etsy or spend time with one of his books. Several people in the comments have mentioned The Book of Joy, and there’s always his classic God has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time.
Which item most appeals to you?
— Emily Kiel
54 comments on “Janani Luwum vs. Desmond Tutu”
Taking absolutely nothing away from the amazing Archbishop Luwum, I have to go with Archbishop Tutu. The Book of Joy absolutely won my heart for all time. Archbishop Tutu's faith, wisdom and pure delight (including dancing with the Dalai Lama!), even after all he had been through, won my vote.
As a South African who deeply admires Nelson Mandela—a man who fought apartheid with remarkable courage and moral seriousness—I have always found Desmond Tutu far more complicated than the saintly image often presented. While his role in opposing apartheid is undeniable, many South Africans remain critical of some of his later political positions, public alliances, and moral inconsistencies, which make it difficult for me to see him in purely heroic terms. His public legacy is significant, but for many of us that does not erase concerns about how readily he aligned himself with certain political powers and causes that remain deeply contested.
I have twice been in the presence of Archbishop Tutu. He radiated holiness.
I can't believe everyone keeps voting for Desmond Tutu who is NOT a saint! Why bother doing this if we aren't going to keep this to actual saints?
The Church does not need us to 'annoint' already blessed saints-but to take to heart the lessons of those who lived in the final stanza of the famous hymn:
"They lived not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still, the world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus' will. You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sez, in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at sea, for the Saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too."
So there. Calm yourself and have a cuppa tea.
Except that other suggested non-saints have always been out of the question as Lent Madness candidates under the prior SEC. So telling K.L. Emanuelson to calm down is rather rude on your part.
This may have been a contest for several years of which I've just become aware in which case maybe the organizers have been there, done that. If not making sainthood a requirement for eligibility next year makes sense.
He spoke so movingly at my daughter's graduation from Michigan State University. Gotta to with Arch Tutu.
I called it for the Archbishop at the beginning of the season . . . and I'm still calling it for him!
As much as I admire the stories of Janani, I gotta go with the man himself, Desmond Tutu. He changed the world, not just for the better, but toward good.
Hello in there. Are you sleeping? UPDATE THE BRACKET!!!
I am very disappointed in the voting this year. It looks like Martin Luther will win—a noted anti-Semite, and not a martyr. Our own Thomas Cranmer barely got a glance. There would likely be no BCP without him. He was a martyr as well. Richard Hoover—the famous three legged stool. I think we all could use a course in Anglican history or sign up for EFM.
I meant Hooker.
At the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, I COULD NOT believe that Luther didn't win the golden halo. If he wins it this year, that just adds oil to the fire.
I find the perspective of selection based on which contender has the better or more prolific merchandise in their name, image, and likeness to be distasteful.
Can you not summarize their qualities from the original post or provide an incident from their lives or a quote from their writings. A favorite Bible passage would be useful.
As someone said yesterday "Oh no, a kitcsch Krank!" This round has traditionally been about the merch and nonsense one can find if searching online.
For some saints I think it would be quite hard to (centuries after their deaths) come up with a favorite Bible passage, i.e. for Joan of Arc.
It looks like Archbishop Tutu is going to advance. I voted for Janani Luwum, however, because his story was new to me and also in honor of the Right Reverend Anthony Poggo, who was guest preacher at my church a couple of years ago. I so enjoyed his visit. His wife's name is Jane. You can't go wrong there.
Anyone who builds chicken coops gets my vote.
"Janani was known for building items out of “nothing." Chicken coops out of 50-gallon drums were his specialty."
Alongside Janani's courage and integrity is this legacy of practical care giving.
I have deep appreciation of Archbishop Tutu, and over the years I've been inspired by what I've heard and seen his words and actions. I especially admire the Truth and Reconciliation process he led, and I think we in the US may need something like this to heal the divisions in our country. Before this Madness I knew nothing about Bishop Janani. I wrestled with my vote today, but ultimately voted for Bishop Janani because of his commitment to pray for his president. I struggle with this, and I will try to follow Bishop Janani's example.