WASHINGTON (NewsNation) – Former President Jimmy Carter will be given a state funeral Thursday at the Washington National Cathedral before a second service in his home state of Georgia.
President Joe Biden, the first sitting senator to endorse Carter in the 1976 presidential election, plans to pay tribute to his fellow Democrats just 11 days before leaving office. All of Carter’s living successors, including President-elect Donald Trump, are expected to attend the funeral in Washington.
The casket departure ceremony for the 39th president will begin at the Capitol at approximately 9 a.m. ET, and the official state funeral is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET.
President-elect Donald Trump joins visitors to Jimmy Carter’s casket in the Capitol Rotunda
The service will include Bible readings by family members, music by the U.S. Marine Chamber Orchestra, and a special honor guard.
The Carter Foundation invites the public to honor and celebrate Carter’s life and legacy.
People pay their respects to President Carter
For the past two days, thousands of Americans, including Trump and Melania Trump, paid their respects as Carter’s remains lay in state inside the Capitol.
“I think he is just an inspiration in terms of his civility, his kindness, his civility, his public service, his professionalism. I think he really embodies those values,” said a woman who visited Mr. Carter at the Capitol.
Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter left behind a lasting nonprofit organization as part of their legacy of giving back.
Tim Ritchie, another person who visited the Capitol, said, “I was impressed by how humble he was as a gentleman and president.”
Washington National Cathedral has hosted four state funerals for several former presidents, most recently for President George H.W. Bush in 2018.
President Carter to be buried next to his wife in Georgia
After the service in Washington, D.C., Mr. Carter’s body was returned to Plains, Georgia, where a small gathering limited to family, friends, and members of Maranatha Baptist Church, where Mr. Carter taught Sunday school after leaving the White House, was held. A second funeral will be held.
He and his late wife Rosalynn Carter will be buried in the same town where they were born, lived most of their lives, and died.
The White House said in a statement with NewsNation that Biden praised Carter as “a man of great character, courage, hope and optimism who showed us that we are a great nation.” , because we are a good people, polite, honorable, brave and courageous. Compassionate, humble, and strong. ”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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