State funeral services commence for former President Jimmy Carter

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Children watch the hearse carrying the casket of former President Jimmy Carter pauses outside the State Capitol in Atlanta. Associated Press / Alex Brandon, pool

State funeral services commence for former President Jimmy Carter

Events honoring the late President Jimmy Carter began Saturday with a motorcade traveling through his hometown to Atlanta. The 39th president of the United States passed away on Dec. 29 in his hometown of Plains, Ga. He was 100 years old.

The services began Saturday with a departure ceremony at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Ga. The motorcade later paused briefly at Carter’s boyhood home before driving to Atlanta. Later, Carter’s procession stopped for a moment of silence at Georgia’s State Capitol. Finally, there was an arrival ceremony and service at the Carter Presidential Center.

At the center, Carter began lying in repose starting at 7 p.m., with his remains scheduled to stay there through Sunday morning.

Members of the public have numerous opportunities to pay their respects to the 39th president throughout the week before his Thursday funeral. Scroll below the video for more details on those plans.

Former President Jimmy Carter teaches Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Ga. Associated Press / Photo by John Amis, File

Saturday, Jan. 4 - Monday, Jan. 6 (Georgia): The state funeral begins Saturday with the president’s body traveling through his hometown and pausing outside his family’s farm just before 11 a.m. EST, according to the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region. Members of the National Park Service plan to salute the president and ring the family’s historic farm bell 39 times. The motorcade will then head for Atlanta, with an expected arrival time at the state’s Capitol building of about 3 p.m. EST. During that time, state leaders and legislators will hold a moment of silence. The Carter Presidential Center will receive the president’s remains and hold a 4 p.m. EST service. Carter’s body will then lie in repose at the center until Tuesday, Jan. 7, during which time the public may visit to pay respects.

Tuesday, Jan. 7 - Wednesday, Jan. 8 (Washington): Carter’s body will leave Atlanta around 9:30 a.m. EST and be flown to Washington, D.C. Upon arrival, the late president’s family will accompany his body in a motorcade to the U.S. Navy Memorial around 1 p.m., where the remains will be transferred to a horse-drawn caisson for a procession through the city to the U.S. Capitol. U.S. servicemen will carry Carter’s body into the Rotunda where members of Congress will pay respects during a 3 p.m. EST service. The president’s body will then lie in state with a military guard of honor until Thursday, allowing members of the public to continue paying their respects.

Thursday, Jan. 9 (Washington): Carter’s remains will travel to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where the national funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. EST. After the televised service, Carter’s family will fly back to Georgia with the body of the late president for a private 3:45 p.m. EST service at the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. The Carter family will then travel from the church back to the Carter family home for a private interment around 5:30 p.m. EST. The public is invited to line the motorcade route back to the family home. Before the final interment, the U.S. Navy will conduct a flyover to honor Carter’s service in the military and as commander-in-chief.

U.S. President Joe Biden declared Thursday as a national day of mourning for the late president and instructed that the American flag be flown at half-staff both at home and abroad for 30 days after his death.

Dig deeper: Read Juliana Chan Erikson’s report for more detail on Carter’s legacy of service.