John McCain will be laid to rest on Saturday at an invitation-only funeral in Washington
Senator John McCain will be farewelled by former presidents, congressional colleagues and his children on Saturday morning following a public procession through Washington DC.
McCain, who died on Tuesday just days before his 82nd birthday, will be carried from the US Capitol by Armed Forces Body Bearers, before he is transported by a motorcade to Washington National Cathedral.
Details of the funeral listed on McCain’s website say the procession will pause at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, where the Senator’s wife, Cindy, will lay a wreath to honor those lost in the Vietnam War.
The public are invited to line the streets to bid the war hero, who worked as a politician in Arizona for more than 30 years, a final goodbye.
Following the procession, a private service for family, friends, congressional colleagues and staff, as well as US and international leaders will be held.
The invitation-only service will take place at Washington National Cathedral, and only those with tickets will be permitted to attend.
The 15 pallbearers at Saturday’s cathedral service will include former Vice President Joe Biden, former Senator Phil Gramm and ex-Defense Secretary William Cohen, both Republicans, as well as Michael Bloomberg and liberal actor and activist Warren Beatty.
The Senator and war hero died just days before his 82nd birthday, little more than a year after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer
McCain’s friend and former chief of staff, Mark Salter, will also be included.
Remarks will be made by two former presidents, George W Bush and Barack Obama, as well as former Senator Joe Lieberman and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
McCain’s children will also deliver a tribute and read a poem.
On Sunday, the American war hero will be buried at the US Naval Academy in Maryland, next to his old friend, Admiral Chuck Larson.
On Friday, McCain was laid in state in the Captiol Rotunda – making him one of only 13 senators to do so.
He was laid on the Lincoln catafalque, which was built in 1865 for Lincoln’s remains to rest on and has been used for all those who have lie in state in the Capitol since.
His family have been present at seven other services held in Arizona and Washington, and will bury McCain at the US Naval Academy on Sunday (pictured: Roberta McCain, 106, is seen at her son’s casket as it is laid in state in the Rotunda at Capitol Hill on Friday)
Past presidents John Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan have lie in state as have distinguished citizens such as Douglas MacArthur.
The last person to lie in state in the US Capitol rotunda was Antonin Scalia in February 2016.
Throughout US history, only 32 people have been ‘lain in state’ or ‘lain in honor’ under the soaring Capitol Rotunda, including 11 presidents and unknown soldiers from World War I to Vietnam.
McCain was involved in planning the events around his funeral. He made it clear to family and friends that he wanted Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden, Bush and Obama to speak, but that Trump was not welcome.
Last July, Sen. McCain was diagnosed with a glioblastoma – an aggressive form of brain cancer – but he was back in the Senate two weeks later. His last Senate vote was in December.