State funeral
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A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony held to honour heads of state or other important people of national significance. They usually include much pomp and ceremony.
Most state funerals tend to make one point clear: the family of the deceased agreed to the public honors because so many of their nation's citizens want to join in.
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[edit] United Kingdom
A state funeral consists of a military procession using a gun carriage from the private resting chapel to Westminster Hall, where the body usually lies in state for three days. This is then followed by a funeral service at Westminster Abbey or St. Paul's Cathedral.
Many of the features of a state funeral are shared by other types of funeral—a Royal Ceremonial funeral (for example, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) often has a lying in state and Westminster Abbey service. The real distinction between a state funeral and a ceremonial funeral is that a state funeral requires a motion or vote in Parliament. However, the visual distinction usually referred to is that in a state funeral, the gun carriage bearing the coffin is drawn by sailors from the Royal Navy rather than horses. This tradition dates from the funeral of Queen Victoria; the horses drawing the gun carriage bolted, and so ratings from the Royal Navy hauled it to the Royal Chapel at Windsor.
During the lying in state, the coffin rests on a catafalque in the middle of Westminster Hall. Each corner is guarded by various units of the Sovereign's Bodyguard or the Household Division. However, on some occasions (most notably the funerals of King George V and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother), male members of the Royal Family have mounted the guard, in what has become known as the Vigil of the Princes. For George V, his four sons King Edward VIII, The Duke of York, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent stood guard. For the Queen Mother, her grandsons The Prince of Wales, The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex and Viscount Linley took post. [1]
The honour of a state funeral is usually reserved for the Sovereign as Head of State and the current or past Queen Consort. Few others have had them:
- Sir Philip Sydney (1586)
- Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1806)
- Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1852)
- Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1865)
- The Rt Hon. William Gladstone (1898)
- Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar (1914)
- Edward Carson, Baron Carson (1935)
- The Rt Hon. Sir Winston Churchill (1965)
Diana, Princess of Wales, a former royal when she died in 1997, had a ceremonial funeral similar to a state funeral. Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield was offered the honour of a state funeral, but refused it.
The most famous state funeral was that of a commoner—Churchill in 1965. The only difference between his state funeral and that of the Sovereign was the gun salute—prime ministers get a 19-gun salute, as a head of government.
[edit] United States
In the U.S., state funerals are granted by law to Presidents-elect and sitting and former Presidents, and may be granted to other individuals as designated by the sitting President. While tradition and protocol greatly influence the funeral planning, the exact sequence of events is largely determined by the family of the deceased. This decision is made once a president leaves office.
[edit] History and development
The pomp and circumstance of state funerals were eschewed by the founding fathers who believed them to be too reminiscent of British rule. The first general mourning proclaimed in America was on the death of Benjamin Franklin in 1790 and the next on the death of George Washington in 1799. Though public mournings were held all over the country for George Washington, his funeral was a local affair in Mount Vernon. The first major funeral ceremony was for William Henry Harrison, the first president to die in office. Alexander Hunter, a Washington merchant, was commissioned to design the ceremony. He had the White House draped in black ribbon and ordered a curtained and upholstered black and white carriage to carry the coffin.
However, it was not until the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 that the United States experienced a nationwide period of mourning, made possible by advances in communications technologies — train and telegraph. Lincoln was the first U.S. president to lie in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. Ceremonies conducted henceforth have been based on Lincoln's funeral. Eleven presidents have been honored by having their remains lie in state (on the same black catafalque built for Lincoln) in the Rotunda with a ceremonial honor guard to attend them.
[edit] Major components
Funeral processions in the nation's capital have honored eleven presidents, including the four who were assassinated. Although the details of a presidential state funeral may vary depending on the wishes of each president (or other honoree) and/or his family, the following is the most common sequence of events. There is, however, no rule forbidding the honoree or his family from making changes to the sequence.
Most state funerals include Armed Forces pallbearers, various 21-gun salutes, renditions by military bands and choirs, a military chaplain for the immediate family, and a flag-draped coffin if the President or honoree is a veteran.
Presidents who die in office may lie in repose in the East Room of the White House; former presidents may lie in repose in their home or adopted state before traveling to Washington, D.C. to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda.
A ceremonial funeral procession in a caisson (drawn by six horses of the same color, three riders and a section chief mounted on a separate horse from the Old Guard Caisson Platoon) is a traditional component of a state funeral observance. The procession begins in sight of the White House and travels to the U.S. Capitol. For former presidents, the coffin is transferred to the caisson at 16th St. and Constitution Avenue before the South Lawn and the procession moves down Constitution Avenue, but for sitting presidents, the coffin is transferred at the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance of the mansion and the procession moves down Pennsylvania Avenue. (Pennsylvania Ave. in front of the White House has been closed since the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.) The procession is composed of National Guard, active-duty, academy, and reserve personnel that represent the five branches of the United States armed forces and the coffin is followed by a riderless horse. Each march unit is led by a service band. The exception on the procession was for Gerald Ford. His casket was driven by hearse all the way to the Capitol and en route, stopped at the National World War II Memorial, to pay tribute to his service in the Navy during World War II. A prime reason it was driven by hearse was the season: it was dark and during the winter.
The procession usually ends at the center steps of the east front of the U.S. Capitol. Exceptions were made for LBJ, Ronald Reagan, and Gerald Ford. LBJ was carried up the Senate wing steps because the center steps were blocked with construction from the second inauguration of Richard Nixon just days earlier.[1] Reagan, as former governor of California, requested that he be carried up the steps which face west, overlooking California. Ford, as a former member of the House of Representatives, requested that he be carried up the House wing steps.
Upon the coffin's arrival at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol a short service (the official "state funeral") is given with members of Congress present.
Afterwards, the late president's body lies in state for public viewing. Although lying in state continues through the night, it differs from lying in repose. The honor guard, whose members represent each of the armed services, maintain a vigil over the remains throughout the period of time the remains lie in state. Public viewing is allowed continuously during the lying in state until one hour before the departure ceremony.
A national memorial service is held in Washington, D.C. It is held either at Washington National Cathedral or at another church or cathedral, depending on the family, with various foreign dignitaries and government officials attending. On the matter of seating arrangements for the funeral, the presidential party is followed by heads of state, arranged alphabetically by the English spelling of their countries. Royalty representing heads of state, such as princes and dukes, come next, followed by heads of government, such as prime ministers and premiers. During the ceremony, generals sit in the north transept, family members in the south transept, if the ceremony is held at Washington National Cathedral.
Immediately after the service is completed, the body travels to its final resting place for interment.
Before the mid-20th Century, the body was moved long distances by funeral train procession, where thousands of citizens would line the railroad tracks to pay their last respects. Transport in recent decades between the deceased president's home state and Washington, D.C. has been by one of the jets usually used as Air Force One. Arrivals and departures are usually met with 21-gun salutes.
The most famous state funeral was that of John F. Kennedy in 1963, resulting from his assassination.
[edit] Funeral arrangements
State funerals are usually planned years in advance. Each living U.S. president—current or former—is required to have funeral plans in place upon becoming president. These details become more important upon leaving office, as it reduces stress for the president's family in an era of worldwide electronic media scrutiny.
The Military District of Washington (MDW) has primary responsibility in conducting the ceremony and goes by a 138-page planning document. The commanding general of the MDW appoints an Armed Forces team to provide security for the presidential remains, whether they be lying in state or in a church or other location. Additionally, in the post-9/11 world, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is responsible for security measures since state funerals may be terrorist targets.
[edit] Canada
In Canada, those entitled to state funerals include current and former governors general and prime ministers, as well as other eminent Canadians as decreed by the government. On November 21, 2006, Parliament approved a state funeral for Canada's last World War I veteran.[2]
The body arrives on Parliament Hill by hearse rather than by caisson or gun carriage. On arrival, an honour guard meets the hearse and escorts the body into the centre block of Parliament Hill in a simple ceremony. The honour guard is drawn from the RCMP for a prime minister or from the Governor General's Foot Guards for a governor general.
Lying in state occurs in the Senate Chamber in the case of a governor general, or in the Hall of Honour for a prime minister, and usually lasts for two days. Unlike in the United Kingdom and the United States, public viewing is not allowed continuously until a certain time. There are designated hours each day of the lying in state. In certain cases, everyone may be allowed access despite the deadline, but only after police officers tour the lines.
Similar to the United States and the United Kingdom, there are guards at each corner of the coffin. The guards are from the RCMP and Canadian Forces. In the case of the governor general, their foot guards also guard the coffin. With prime ministers, the other guards are from Parliamentary security and Senate security.
As the body is escorted from Parliament Hill to the hearse, a 21-gun salute is fired for governors general or a 19-gun salute in the case of a prime minister. When the funeral service is held in Ottawa, it is usually held at Christ Church Cathedral.
[edit] Ireland
[edit] Vatican City: Funeral of the Pope
When the pope dies, the officials in Vatican City begin a vigorous series of rituals dating back to the middle ages.
The standard announcement is as follows:
After the initial determination of his death, made by calling his given name in Latin (for Pope John Paul II the Camerlengo called "Carolus", and for Pope Benedict XVI, the camerlengo will call out "Iosephus") three times without response[2], the Camerlengo ("Cardinal Chamberlain" is the English title) drapes a white cloth over the deceased pope's head and declares him dead, orders the papal offices and apartment sealed, and destroys the pontiff's signet ring (the Ring of the Fisherman) and seals with a silver hammer. The Pope's body is initially moved to the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace, where he is privately viewed by Vatican officials in a ceremony to confirm and certify his death.
The Pope's death is announced to the world in the standard form:
"The Holy Father died this evening at ______ (time) in his private apartment. All the procedures outlined in the apostolic Constitution 'Universi Dominici Gregis' that was written by John Paul II on Feb. 22, 1996, have been put in motion." [3]
The above form was used upon the death of John Paul II. The same form will be used until a future Pope decides to make changes.
After that, his body is moved to St. Peter's Basilica to lay in state, guarded by the Swiss Guard, for public viewing and mourning for several more days. The pontiff is then moved to his final resting place. The popes of the last century have been buried beneath St. Peter's Basilica.[citation needed]
[edit] Australia
In Australia, State Funerals are increasingly offered to persons of general celebrity. Such an offer was extended to the family of Steve Irwin but they declined.
[edit] New South Wales
State Funerals held in NSW are subject to a policy operated since 1966.
Politicians (both current and former) and people holding positions such as Governor and Chief Justice automatically qualify for a State funeral, however the Premier of the State of NSW can offer such a service for those determined to be distinguished citizens of NSW.
Where the family of the deceased does not wish to have a State funeral, the offer of a State memorial service will be considered.
[edit] Queensland
A State Funeral was offered for Steve Irwin in September 2006, but the offer was declined.
[edit] Victoria
A State Funeral was held in September 2006 for race-car driver Peter Brock.
[edit] See also
- Death and state funeral of Gerald Ford
- Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan
- Death and state funeral of Pierre Trudeau
- Funeral of Pope John Paul II
- State funeral of John F. Kennedy
[edit] References
- ^ Foley, Thomas, "Thousands in Washington Brave Cold to Say Goodby to Johnson," The Los Angeles Times, January 25, 1973
- ^ Some references state that historically, the camerlengo would hit the pontiff with a silver hammer each time he called the Pope's name. This ritual was not performed with respect to John Paul II, and no Vatican official has confirmed that it was performed on previous Popes.
[edit] External links
- The traditions of a British state funeral
- Memorializing U.S. Presidents
- Funeral Section of the RCMP Ceremonial and Protocol Guide
- "STATE, OFFICIAL, AND SPECIAL MILITARY FUNERALS" by the U.S. Army
- The Last Salute by the U.S. Army
- NSW Policy on State Funerals
- Commentary on state funeral offer for Australian Kerry Packer
