State funeral
A state funeral is a public ceremony held to honor individuals of national significance, typically former presidents or notable figures in various fields such as politics or sports. These funerals are characterized by a blend of religious rituals and cultural traditions that reflect the deceased’s importance to the nation. Historically, state funerals have been observed since ancient times, with notable examples in cultures such as ancient Egypt, where elaborate ceremonies were conducted for pharaohs.
In modern times, state funerals often feature a series of formal events, including a period of lying in state, where the public can pay their respects. In the United States, these events are organized by the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region and typically unfold over several days, with ceremonies in the deceased's home state and in Washington, D.C. Significant elements of a state funeral include military honors, such as pallbearers from the Armed Forces, public processions, and eulogies delivered by esteemed speakers. The ceremonies are conducted with a high degree of protocol, honoring both the individual’s legacy and the contributions they made to society.
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State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral for a person of national significance. State funerals are generally held for former presidents and other political leaders, although they can be held for important figures in sports or other fields. They may include religious rituals as well as cultural traditions. State funerals have been held at least since ancient Roman times, but few records remain to provide insight into the traditions.
Some of the most widely viewed state funerals have been in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Services have honored Roman Catholic popes, members of royal families, and world leaders who died in office. For example, in 1963, television networks broadcast all night as a quarter of a million people paid their respects to President John F. Kennedy in the Rotunda of the US Capitol. Millions watched the procession and services on television thanks to pool reporting.
Background
Scholars have found evidence of ancient funerals following the deaths of leaders in various cultures. In ancient Egypt, state funerals were a lengthy and complex process. After the death of a pharaoh was announced to the public, the body was taken to the embalmers. The mummification process took up to three months. According to inscriptions in the tomb of Tutankhamun, the mummified body in its sarcophagus was placed on a sledge pulled by oxen. It traveled from the royal palace to the west bank of the Nile, followed by a second sledge carrying the canopic chest, which contained the ruler’s internal organs in jars. Professional mourners—who were always women—walked behind, crying and screaming. Priests walked in the procession, burning incense and shaking rattles called sistrums. At the tomb, the high priest and possibly the new pharaoh performed a ceremony where the mummy was placed in the burial chamber. Workmen then sealed the tomb while family, friends, and dignitaries attended a banquet.
Much more is known about state funerals in modern times. In the United States, the Founding Fathers were opposed to state funerals. They believed such ceremonies resembled the reverence reserved for monarchs. Instead, US leadership declared periods of public mourning for the nation’s heroes. The first general mourning took place in 1790 after the death of Benjamin Franklin. Former president George Washington’s death in 1799 was the second occasion of general public mourning.
The first president to die in office was William Henry Harrison. For his funeral ceremony in 1841, leaders commissioned a Washington merchant, Alexander Hunter, to organize a public ceremony. Hunter had the White House draped in black ribbons. He ordered a black and white carriage with curtains to carry the casket.
By 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, the telegraph and steam trains had greatly sped up communications. This enabled the nation to mourn together. Lincoln was the first US president to lie in state in the Rotunda of the US Capitol; his funeral was the blueprint for all future presidential funerals. The catafalque, or platform, built to hold his casket has been used for presidents ever since.
Prior to the mid-twentieth century, state funerals might span weeks as the body of the deceased traveled by funeral train. This allowed huge crowds to line the tracks to pay their respects before and after ceremonies in Washington, DC. Modern funerals transport the deceased and family members by plane. Former presidents are usually accorded the courtesy of using one of the jets that serve as Air Force One. Twenty-one gun salutes take place as the planes arrive and depart. The speed with which jets travel has allowed modern presidential funerals and burial services to take place on the same day. The first time this happened was in 1973 with the funeral of Lyndon B. Johnson.
Overview
State funerals may differ only slightly from other types of funerals. For example, a royal ceremonial funeral may be held for a member of the British royal family, but only a ruling monarch, such as Queen Elizabeth II, would have a state funeral. Queen Elizabeth's state funeral in 2022 was the first state funeral in Great Britain since Winston Churchill's funeral in 1965.
In the United States, state funerals are organized out of the Joint Force Headquarters National Capital Region and typically last from seven to ten days. However, this is not always the case. Former President Jimmy Carter's state funeral in 2025 included six days of funeral observances. Events take place in three stages. Stage one includes ceremonies in the home state of the dignitary. Stage two takes place in Washington, DC, the seat of the federal government. It includes any ceremonies as well as a period of lying in state, when the body is in a public place where visitors can pay their respects. The third stage takes place in the state in which the person is interred. Stage one includes a period called lying in repose. Presidents who die in office lie in repose in the White House’s East Room. Former presidents lie in repose in their home states.
The state funeral is held with the permission of the deceased’s family. Typical components of a presidential state funeral include pallbearers from the US Armed Forces, military bands and choirs, a military chaplain who comforts the immediate family, and twenty-one gun salutes.
A public procession is typical of a state funeral. A US military leader is often honored with a procession through the nation’s capital with the casket on a caisson, which is a munitions wagon. It is usually drawn by six horses of the same color. Three horses have riders from the US Army’s Old Guard. A section chief mounted on a seventh horse accompanies the caisson. A riderless horse follows the casket. The route of the procession is slightly different for sitting and former presidents, but all begin in sight of the White House and end at the Capitol. The procession includes representatives of the five branches of the Armed Forces, including active-duty members, National Guard, academy, and reserve personnel. The official state funeral is a brief service that takes place when the casket arrives in the Rotunda and is attended by members of Congress. The body lies in state with public viewing around the clock with an honor guard standing vigil. Members of the honor guard again represent all branches of the services.
Eulogies and other tributes take place during any number of services. The national memorial service for a leader in Washington is held in the church or cathedral of the family’s choice or the Washington National Cathedral. Government officials and foreign dignitaries are usually present and are seated according to strict protocol. For example, elected heads of state are seated alphabetically by the English spelling of their countries. The casket leaves immediately at the end of the service for its journey to its final resting place.
Bibliography
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Frost, Katie. “What Will Happen When Queen Elizabeth II Dies?” Town & Country, 25 Mar. 2019, www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/news/a9197/what-happens-when-the-queen-dies/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Hallemann, Caroline. “Inside Winston Churchill’s History-Making Funeral.” Town & Country, 17 Nov. 2019, www.townandcountrymag.com/society/politics/g29563266/winston-churchill-funeral-photos/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
“The Lincoln Catafalque.” Architect of the Capitol, 2019, www.aoc.gov/what-we-do/programs-ceremonies/lying-in-state-honor/lincoln-catafalque. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
Mark, Joshua J. “Ancient Egyptian Burial.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, 19 Jan. 2013, www.ancient.eu/Egyptian‗Burial/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
"What is a State Funeral and Who Will Attend Jimmy Carter's?" BBC, 5 Jan. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3dxy58epnjo. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
“What Is a State Funeral?” Click2Houston, 3 Dec. 2018, www.click2houston.com/news/2018/12/03/what-is-a-state-funeral/. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
“What Is a State Funeral?” The Economist, 10 Apr. 2013, www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2013/04/09/what-is-a-state-funeral. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.