Former President Jimmy Carter commenced his final journey on Thursday with his flag-draped coffin being transported from the US Capitol to Washington's National Cathedral for his state funeral. The service marks the culmination of a week filled with mourning, during which thousands of citizens have continuously filed past Carter's casket to pay their respects. Carter passed away on December 29 at the age of 100 in his home state of Georgia.

President Joe Biden is set to deliver the eulogy for his fellow Democrat, who is recognized as the last president from the so-called "Greatest Generation." This solemn ceremony comes just 11 days ahead of Republican Donald Trump's scheduled return to the White House, emphasizing a moment of unity amid the nation’s growing divisions (Le Monde).

As US service members in ceremonial attire gracefully maneuvered the coffin down the Capitol steps, it was followed by a motorcade making its way through the snowy streets of Washington to the cathedral, a venerable site for presidential farewells, previously hosting send-offs for figures like Dwight Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush.

Biden had noted that Carter personally requested him to honor the occasion during their last meeting four years ago. Reflecting on Carter’s character, Biden remarked, “Carter was a decent man... he looked at the world not from here but from here, where everybody else lives," as he gestured toward his heart (SCMP).

Among the nearly 3,000 mourners, Biden’s living predecessors including Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Trump are expected to be present, as Thursday has been declared a national day of mourning with federal offices closed. Carter, who served a single term and faced a decisive electoral loss to Reagan in 1980, was often viewed through the lens of political naïveté amidst Washington's harsh realities.

His presidency faced significant challenges, particularly marked by the hostage crisis involving Americans held in Tehran, which ultimately impacted his re-election bid. However, over the years, a more nuanced recollection of his achievements has emerged, highlighting his role in brokering the historic peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, alongside his notable post-presidential humanitarian efforts that earned him a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.

Carter, the first president to reach the remarkable milestone of 100 years, had been in hospice care since February 2023 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, where he will be laid to rest beside his late wife, Rosalynn Carter. Mourners began paying their tributes on Saturday, initiating a carefully orchestrated six-day farewell, with American flags flying at half-staff nationwide. A hearse traveling through Plains paused at his historic family peanut farm, where staff rang a bell 39 times in silent tribute, as crowds gathered to bid farewell (Le Monde).

On Tuesday, Carter’s casket arrived at the snow-covered US Capitol atop a gun carriage, flanked by hundreds of service members. Military pallbearers carried his casket to the Rotunda, allowing him to lie in state ahead of Thursday’s ceremony, marking the first presidential funeral since Bush Senior’s passing in 2018. Senator Chuck Schumer honored Carter’s legacy, stating he was “one of the most decent and humble public servants we have ever seen” and underscored that “President Carter was a living embodiment of leadership through service, compassion, and a thirst for justice for all” (SCMP).

For further details, you can read more on the original articles from SCMP and Le Monde.