With the death of former President Jimmy Carter announced on Sunday, it is important to note that the country will have a chance to say a more fitting farewell to its 39th president in the coming days.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner and former commander in chief will receive a full state funeral, which is a formal national honor initiated by a proclamation from the sitting president and conducted by the Joint Task Force National Capital Region, an office within the Ministry of Defense.

A state funeral is typically a 7 to 10 day event and occurs in three separate phases. Here you will find everything that awaits you in the next few days:

How does the state funeral begin?

The first phase of a state funeral takes place in the former president’s home state. In this case, Carter spent most of his life in Plains, Georgia. The former president’s casket will travel in a motorcade from his hometown to Atlanta, where it will initially rest at the Carter Center, his post-presidency foundation.

After a day or two in Atlanta, the former president will be flown to Washington, DC to continue the state funeral.

Will former President Jimmy Carter lie in state?

Yes, the former president will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol for more than a day after being flown to the capital, where he will be welcomed with a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

After a few days, Carter’s body will be returned to the National Cathedral for a state funeral that is expected to last about an hour.

What is the difference between lying in state and lying at rest?

According to the JTF-NCR, a state funeral occurs “when the coffin of a member of the government (or a former member of the government) is displayed in the main government building of a country or state to give the public the opportunity to pay their respects.” . When lying down, however, the coffin of a former government member lies in another building for the public to honor.

Where is former President Jimmy Carter buried?

After his state funeral, Carter will be returned to Plains, Georgia, where he will be buried alongside his wife, Rosalynn Carter, after a private service.

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood speak to Habitat for Humanity about their love of the Steelers and their commitment to the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project.

Who gets a state funeral?

A state funeral is usually reserved for the deaths of former presidents, but can also be held for people designated by the president.

Previously, an official state funeral has only been held for former presidents, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and George HW Bush. However, the JFT-NCR notes that funerals of “great magnificence” have been held in the United States since its founding, including the deaths of former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and even Benjamin Franklin.

What traditions accompany a state funeral?

A tradition for a state funeral is the three-volley salute over a grave, which probably dates back to ancient Rome, where, according to the JTF, the “rite of throwing earth on the coffin three times constituted ‘burial.’ NCR. For the three-gun salute, a seven-man shooting group is used; the 21-gun salute is not carried out.

The 21-gun salute is another tradition at a state funeral, in which a cannon is used to fire 21 shots with five-second pauses between shots.

Another tradition is carrying a coffin using a horse-drawn caisson, which probably dates back to the 18th century when it was used to carry men lost on the battlefield. At the modern state funeral, six horses of the same color and three riders are used in the caisson.

Some other traditions for a state funeral include a military escort for the family, armed forces body bearers, a flag-draped casket, and a military flyover.

What music will be played during Carter’s state funeral?

Several traditional musical pieces will be played during all three phases of the state funeral, including “Hail to the Chief,” the traditional song for a president, and the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

Other songs played include “Taps,” a bugle called over the grave that dates back to the Civil War.