A number of celebrations and services will be held to mourn the death of US President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100.
The former president will be honored at a state funeral on January 9 in Washington before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, alongside his wife, Rosalynn, who died last year at the age of 96.
Carter died Sunday, two years after entering a nursing home.
Here’s what to know about funeral plans.
What is a state funeral?
A state funeral is a national memorial event that commemorates the lives of Americans who have made a significant contribution to public life.
Most presidents receive this honor if their families agree.
It usually lasts seven to ten days and includes celebrations in the deceased’s hometown, as well as in Washington.
The last president to receive a state funeral was George H.W. Bush in 2018.
Two years later, former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first woman to lieutenant in the U.S. Capitol.
When astronaut Neil Armstrong died in 2012, there were calls for a state funeral, but his family instead chose a private ceremony in Ohio.
Where is Jimmy Carter’s funeral located?
Memorial events for Carter, a Democrat who served as president from 1977 to 1981, will be divided into three parts.
They will start in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, before moving to Washington and then back to the southern state.
On Jan. 4, a parade will pass through Carter’s hometown of Plains, a small town, and stop at his childhood home before heading to Atlanta for a public service at the Carter Presidential Center.
Carter’s remains will be in the Presidential Library on January 5 and 6.
It will be transported to the nation’s capital on January 7, where ceremonies will begin at the US Navy Memorial before a horse-drawn procession to the US Capitol.
He will lie in state for two days in the Capitol Rotunda, where the public will be able to pay their respects.
His life will be commemorated at the Washington National Cathedral on January 9 in a mass attended by several former presidents.
Who will attend the state funeral?
Biden will deliver the eulogy at Carter’s funeral in Washington, D.C., after the 39th president asked him to do so in March 2023, according to Biden.
Former presidents and first ladies typically attend their predecessors’ funerals, so First Lady Jill Biden and others like former President Barack Obama could be in attendance. Hillary and Bill Clinton are also expected to attend.
President-elect Donald Trump’s plans are unclear. He did not attend Rosalynn Carter’s funeral last year, but his wife, Melania, did, along with other former first ladies.
However, Trump attended a memorial service for Republican George H. W. Bush in Washington. There were five living presidents, including Carter, in attendance.
What else is happening?
The US federal government will close its doors on January 9 for a national day of mourning, President Biden said in an executive order.
Financial markets will be closed on that day as well.
American flags on all federal buildings will be flown at half-mast for 30 days.
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