Jimmy Carter’s state funeral on January 9 at Washington National Cathedral

The United States will honor former President Jimmy Carter with a state funeral on January 9, declared a National Day of Mourning by President Joe Biden. Carter, who passed away peacefully at age 100, will be remembered for his lifelong dedication to human rights, peace, and service to the less fortunate.

Flags flew at half-staff across the nation as tributes poured in from global leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis, and China’s President Xi Jinping. Carter, the longest-lived US president, had been in hospice care in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, since February 2023.

The Carter Center announced that the former president will lie in repose for 36 hours at its Atlanta headquarters before being flown to Washington to lie in state at the US Capitol. After the state funeral at the Washington National Cathedral, Carter will be laid to rest in Plains, alongside his wife Rosalynn, who passed away in November 2023.

President Biden hailed Carter’s life of “deeds, not words,” while tributes from former presidents, including Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, highlighted his commitment to justice and public service. Carter’s four-year presidency is remembered for historic peace accords between Israel and Egypt, as well as challenges such as the Iran hostage crisis and an energy crisis.

Carter’s decades-long post-presidency earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his “untiring effort” to promote peace, democracy, and development. The Southern Baptist and Navy veteran remained active into his 90s, teaching Sunday school and building homes for the needy through Habitat for Humanity.

Born in Georgia in 1924, Carter’s legacy as a humanitarian and advocate for the downtrodden will be honored in the coming days with public observances in Georgia and Washington, marking the end of an extraordinary century-long life.