Former US President Carter lies in state after somber Washington procession

0
348
US Senators from Georgia Raphael Warnock (R) and Jon Ossoff (L) pay their respects during the Lying in State Ceremony for former President Jimmy Carter at the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC on January 7, 2025. Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at the age of 100 on December 29, 2024 at his home in Plains, Georgia. (Photo by Kent NISHIMURA / POOL / AFP)

The body of late US President Jimmy Carter was transferred Tuesday in a grand and solemn military ceremony to the US Capitol, where it will lie in state until a national funeral later this week.

Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100, served a single term from 1977-1981 and was widely praised for his post-presidential humanitarian efforts, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

His body arrived at the snow-covered US Capitol, where it will remain until Thursday, after a full day of ceremonious travel that began in his native Georgia. A live feed by broadcaster PBS showed members of the public move through the building’s rotunda to pay their respects to the late president, with many stopping to take a moment of silence with their hands clasped.

“I paid my respects to President Jimmy Carter as he lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda today,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on X. “On behalf of the entire Department of Defense, we join the Carter family and all Americans in celebrating this extraordinary life, legacy, and service to our nation.”

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here