Talk:Lying in state/Archive 1

Previously unsectioned comments
This should be less UK-centric. US instances need to be included, like Ronald Reagan or Harry Truman. Mike H 09:12, Sep 7, 2004 (UTC)

I do not know anything about the traditions and procedures of a lying-in-state at an American state funeral. If you do, please feel free to add. Hammersfan 14:35 Sept 8 2004


 * I know little about the traditions, but I did add people who have had this honor given to them. I will research the tradition later. Mike H 13:50, Sep 8, 2004 (UTC)


 * I added a tiny bit about how one gets a ceremony in their honor, and a bit on the traditional centerpiece. Mike H 18:12, Sep 8, 2004 (UTC)

I'm moving Canada up to make it in alphabetical order, assuming that people will add many more countries. 219.77.98.22 02:12, 14 April 2006 (UTC)

Lying in state
I noticed an editor deleted my edit about lying in state. A body can "lie in state" in many places. Here are examples:

Rosa Parks in Lincoln Memorial: http://www.detnews.com/2005/specialreport/0510/27/A01-363217.htm

Governor of Arkansas at Little Rock: http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2006/07/18/News/336918.html

The website of the U.S. Capitol is very clear, that persons may "lie in state" in other places in the Capitol building and elsewhere. Just as the U.S. has no single claim to the phrase "to lie in state" meaning the U.S. Capitol is the only country where this can take place, the federal government has no claim to the phrase whereby it is not true for individual states. The only distiction that can be made is that both the House and Senate control the Rotunda of the Capitol. Please look at this website:

http://www.aoc.gov/cc/capitol/catafalque.cfm

If you have a convincing reference that makes the phrase "to lie in state" unique to the Capitol Rotunda I would like to see it. I have posted this to the talk page of the user who deleted my edit. I want to see references that make it clear, that in the U.S. t"to lie in state" means ONLY in the Capitol Rotunda. Yes it's special but not that big of a deal. Mfields1 22:16, 16 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I'll agree that an official can "lie in state" in the principle place of government other than the Rotunda of the Capitol, (a Governor or former Governor in the Capitol building of his state's capital, for example) but I won't agree with you a non-governmental official can "lie in state" - in a federal sense - for anyplace other than the Capitol or other government building. (The ABC News link you cited above is hardly authoritative.) Additionally, the entire article is federal-centric. There isn't discussion of how a person may lie in state in the Canadian provinces, for instance....so I don't think it would be proper to introduce the myriad procedures for lying in state in the 50 U.S. states in this article. I suppose my mind could be changed on each of these points, but the idea that ABC News is a proper source isn't the way to do it. Also, while the AOC has the sentence "no law, written rule, or regulation specifies who may lay in state" that is in direct contrast with the Funeral Plan prepared by the Military District of Washington and the traditions that govern to whom that honor is given.JasonCNJ 02:24, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

I note that Maurice Richard is said to have "layed in state" in the Molson Centre, which I found a source for, but which also contradicts the idea that you can only Lay in State in the principle place of government. We will have to figure out whether the media consistantly gets this wrong or difinition is not right. Neither would be a unique occurence!Stevecudmore (talk) 13:06, 24 August 2011 (UTC)

Chief Justice
The late Chief Justice Rehnquist did not lie in state. His body lay in repose at the Supreme Court Building, as per his family's wishes. JasonCNJ 02:22, 28 December 2006 (UTC)

Boris Yeltsin
I noticed almost a week ago that former Russian President Boris Yeltsin lay in state at Russia's Cathedral of Christ the Savior last Tuesday, a day before his funeral. You should add "Russia" to this article, because the "Death" section of the Boris Yelsin article with sources says it all on the link. --Angeldeb82 23:12, 29 April 2007 (UTC)
 * Ok, Russia can be added, but the link that you provided to Yeltsin's article give no history of state funerals in Russia, lying in state in Russia, where everything takes place, for how long, etc., because "Canada," "United Kingdom," and "United States," all have histories of funeral traditions, how you are granted the honor to lie in state, etc. Some research should be done, and right now I don't have the time to do it.....Happyme22 00:44, 16 May 2007 (UTC)
 * You could try, though... does this link help? --Angeldeb82 03:59, 20 May 2007 (UTC)

The lying in state/lying in repose
The lying in state vs lying in repose distinction seems to be inaccurate for much of the world. Edmund Hillary had a state funeral and he lay? in state (as quoted by everyone including the government officials in charge) at the Holy Trinity Cathedral which is obviously not a government building (and he had a military guard). A search for "lying in repose" at uk and nz only come up with stuff related to the US. So while this distinction may exist in the US and Canada, it doesn't seem to exist n NZ, probably the UK and I suspect much of the Commonwealth Nil Einne (talk) 10:50, 21 January 2008 (UTC)

Gerald Ford
why is gerald ford not on this list? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.78.100.67 (talk) 05:17, 30 January 2008 (UTC)
 * He was actually in the list when that remark was made, but the article had been vandalized in an by 209.147.241.228. The problem was fixed just after that remark, in an  by Timothyarnold85. —BarrelProof (talk) 19:50, 7 February 2014 (UTC).

Lying in Honor
The article mentions that the privilege of lying in honor has been granted to for people, but it only lists three of those people. Anyone know who the fourth one is?Tad Lincoln (talk) 00:15, 14 November 2008 (UTC)
 * Just caught this myself. I was wondering the same thing. I checked the link to the U.S. Capitol, and it has only the three people on the list. As it is a recent change, I personally cannot recall any other instance. Could it be that it's only three people?

Elmer Ellsworth (U.S.)
The body of Elmer Ellsworth was reportedly lain in state at the White House in 1861 (specifically, in the East Room, where the funeral was also reportedly held). Can anyone explain why he is not listed? —BarrelProof (talk) 23:51, 16 June 2013 (UTC)

Re-wording needed, I think. (U.S.)
The first paragraph of the section for U.S. says: "Not all those entitled to the honor accept it, however." Isn't there a logical deficiency in this statement? Isn't the decision based on the person's will, and/or heirs? Thanks. Todd (talk) 18:10, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

US, San Francisco
The US section includes the phrase "The City of San Francisco, a grateful city, celebrates the life of the Honorable Edwin Mah Lee, 43rd Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco on December 15, 2017 from 8 am to 7 pm in the Rotunda of San Francisco City Hall." I'm not sure who wrote in this phrase, but I feel it should be amended to better fit the rest of the article, and be properly cited. Jionunez (talk) 19:59, 8 January 2018 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the. —Community Tech bot (talk) 18:35, 6 December 2018 (UTC)
 * Bush Rotunda.png

US-centrism
I took a big-old axe to the list and photographs regarding Americans who have lain in state, because a) the information is at State_funerals_in_the_United_States and b) devoting undue coverage (including photographs) to US issues only accentuates the systemic geographic bias of Wikipedia. --Animalparty! (talk) 21:51, 6 December 2018 (UTC)