Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100, has been honored with a ceremonial procession that began in his native Georgia and culminated in the snow-covered grounds of the U.S. Capitol. A deeply emotional and historic occasion, this marks the final farewell to a leader praised worldwide for his post-presidential humanitarian efforts, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
The procession, which began after Carter’s casket was flown to Washington aboard a U.S. Air Force jet, retraced the opposite path of his inaugural parade. Draped in the American flag, Carter’s casket was carried atop a gun carriage in a solemn journey that moved from the U.S. Navy Memorial to Capitol Hill, honoring his military service on submarines. Hundreds of service members marched along the procession route, their footsteps marking a somber tribute as they moved through streets recently cleared of snow following a winter storm that had forced federal office and school closures in the area.
Upon reaching the Capitol, military pallbearers carefully carried Carter’s casket up the steps and into the Capitol Rotunda. Inside, a brief service took place, attended by Carter’s family, fellow dignitaries, and high-ranking officials, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The event took on added significance, falling a day after the anniversary of the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, when supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the building. On this day, Congress had certified Joe Biden’s victory without disruption, while heavy security enveloped the Capitol complex.
Carter is only the 13th former U.S. president to lie in state, joining the ranks of figures such as Abraham Lincoln, who was the first to receive this honor after his assassination in 1865.
A state funeral service for Carter will be held on Thursday at the National Cathedral, where previous presidents, including Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush, were also honored. President Joe Biden is set to deliver the eulogy for his fellow Democrat. All four living former presidents—Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump—are expected to attend, underscoring Carter’s legacy and his lasting impact on American political life.
To further honor Carter’s memory, Biden declared Thursday a national day of mourning, with government offices closing and flags lowered to half-staff for 30 days in tribute to the former president. Carter, the first U.S. president to reach the age of 100, had been in hospice care in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, since February 2023.
His final resting place will be beside his late wife, Rosalynn Carter, in the same quiet town, reflecting the humble life and enduring legacy of the former president who dedicated his later years to peace and humanitarian work across the globe.
