WASHINGTON – Mail delivery will be paused Thursday, Jan. 9, as the nation observes a day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.

Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died on December 29th at the age of 100. He lived longer than any other president in American history.

President Joe Biden declared Thursday a national day of mourning to honor the former president and humanitarian. Carter’s official state funeral will take place on Thursday in Washington.

In an executive order issued on December 30, Biden declared that all federal agencies would be closed on January 9 “as a mark of respect for James Earl Carter Jr., the thirty-ninth President of the United States.”

All federal employees will have the day off, except those most essential to “national security, defense or other public needs,” Biden’s order says.

The post office will suspend regular mail delivery and retail operations on Thursday. USPS is offering limited package delivery service on this day.

The one-day shutdown of the government, including the U.S. Postal Service, is a tradition that dates back to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 to honor previous presidents upon their deaths.

American flags displayed at public and military sites around the world will be flown at half-staff for 30 days following Carter’s death.

Although a national day of mourning is not recognized as an official federal holiday and many of the businesses normally affected by national celebrations are not closed, some organizations are affected by the day of remembrance.

The stock exchanges remain closed, but many banks remain open. Most public schools will remain in session.