Jimmy Carter death - latest news: Former president’s funeral set for Jan. 9 as Biden declares national day of mourning
President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden lead tributes to Carter after he died at his home in Plains, Georgia, aged 100
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Your support makes all the difference.Jimmy Carter’s funeral will be held on January 9 at the Washington National Cathedral, where President Joe Biden will give a eulogy, funeral organizers told The New York Times.
Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and peanut farm operator who became the 39th president of the United States, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday at 100 years old, the Carter Foundation confirmed.
The funeral is one of eight days of ceremonies and honors, which will include Carter’s body being flown to Washington, D.C. where he will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda.
Biden has also marked January 9 as a national day of mourning and has called on U.S. citizens to assemble “in their respective places of worship” to pay homage to the former president.
Heartfelt tributes continue pouring in from world leaders celebrating Carter’s life and humanitarian achievements, including President-elect Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Pope Francis.
Biden declares National Day of Mourning to honor Carter
President Joe Biden has marked January 9, 2025, as a National Day of Mourning in honor of Jimmy Carter, who passed away on Sunday aged 100.
In a statement late on Sunday evening, Biden called on US citizens to assemble “in their respective places of worship” to pay homage to the former president.
The president has also scheduled a state funeral in Washington, DC, for Carter on January 9.
Previously, federal offices and stock markets have been closed during national days of mourning – including for former presidents Gerald Ford in 2006 and George H. W. Bush in 2018.
The president also declared that flags will be displayed at half-staff for 30 days from the day of Carter’s death at the White House, on public buildings and grounds, at military posts and naval stations.
If I were an amputee, for instance, my prayer would not be to restore my leg but to help me make the best of my condition, and to be thankful for life and opportunities to be a blessing to others. At the moment, we are monitoring the status of my cancer, and my prayers about my own health are similar to this.
Jimmy Carter’s funeral plans revealed
Jimmy Carter’s funeral will be held at Washington National Cathedral on January 9, according to organizers.
President Joe Biden will read a eulogy at the ceremony, those orchestrating the funeral logistics told The New York Times on Monday.
It will mark part of an eight-day plan of ceremonies and honors, which will not commence until later this week due to the New Year’s holiday.
Carter will be brought to the Carter Center in Atlanta on Saturday and Sunday by motorcade to lie in repose at the home of his post-presidential humanitarian work.
The former president’s body will be flown to Washington, DC, on Monday where he will lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda, according to organizers.
The memorial journey will end at his house in the tiny town of Plains, Georgia – where he grew up on a peanut farm – and will be laid to rest.
Initial plans once called for him to be transported by train but, according to The Times, Carter objected to a staffer: “If you take my cold, dead body across the U.S. by train, I’ll haunt you until the day you die.”
What is a national day of mourning?
The last time a Democratic president died was in 1973 when Lyndon Baines Johnson passed away at the age of 64, just a few years after leaving office.
Following the death of Jimmy Carter on Sunday at the age of 100, the nation will now see the first funeral for a Democratic president in more than 50 years. Carter is the longest-living president, who also had the longest post-presidency after leaving office at the age of 56 in 1980.
Since the death of Johnson, there have been four state funerals for former presidents – Johnson’s in 1973, Ronald Reagan’s in 2004, Gerald Ford’s in 2007 and George HW Bush’s most recently in 2018.
Gustaf Kilander has the full story.
Jimmy Carter death: What is a national day of mourning?
Following Jimmy Carter’s death at the age of 100, his funeral will be first for a Democratic president in more than half a century
Pope Francis ‘saddened’ to learn of Carter’s death as he applauds his Christian faith
Pope Francis was “saddened to learn” of Jimmy Carter’s passing and has offered his “heartfelt condolences” and prayers to those mourning his loss, the Vatican said on Monday.
According to a statement from the Cardinal Secretary of State of Vatican City, Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis also recalled Carter’s “firm commitment, motivated by deep Christian faith, to the cause of reconciliation and peace between peoples, the defence of human rights and the welfare of the poor and those in need”.
Parolin added: “The Holy Father commends him to the infinite mercies of Almighty God and prays for the consolation of all who mourn his loss.”
In photos: A look through Kimmy Carter’s life
Jimmy Carter’s life was marked by his devotion to his family, public service and humanitarian efforts.
The former president first emerged into the political scene in the early 1960s and spent the rest of his life working to ensure people in the US and around the world received fair treatment and a better quality of life.
From an early age his desire to make a difference in people’s life was evident.
He continued his public service through time spent in the military, elected office and volunteer work after leaving Washington, D.C.
Ariana Baio takes a look at the life of the Peanut President in photos.
Jimmy Carter’s life in photos
Carter, the 39th president of the US, was president during one of the most tumultuous times in US history
We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment.
Spain’s Prime Minister joins chorus of world leaders paying tribute to Carter
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has joined a chorus of foreign leaders in lamenting over loss of Jimmy Carter, who died aged 100 on Sunday.
“My deepest condolences to President Carter’s family and the people of the United States,” he wrote on X on Monday, which was translated from Spanish by Google.
“Jimmy Carter was one of the leaders most committed to justice and human rights and will always be remembered for his defense of democracy and his dedication to peace.”
Texas governor offered condolences to Jimmy Carter’s wife Rosalynn – who has been dead for over a year
Texas Governor Greg Abbott mistakenly sent his condolences to Jimmy Carter’s wife, Rosalynn, despite her being dead for over a year.
“Cecilia and I send our prayers and deepest condolences to First Lady Rosalynn Carter and the entire Carter family,” the GOP governor wrote in a statement released on Sunday.
However, Rosalynn Carter passed away on November 19, 2023 at the age of 96. The statement came just hours after Carter’s death at his Plains, Georgia, home on Sunday.
“Did anyone in the Governor’s Office Proof the Condolence note?,” the Democratic party of Collins county, Texas, teased on X after the mistake.
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