Ginsburg Becomes The First Woman To Lie In State In The Capitol

By Staff Reporter
Posted on 09/25/20 | News Source: The Hill

The late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg became the first woman to lie in state in the Capitol on Friday, underscoring her impact as a trailblazer for women.

Ginsburg is also the first Jewish person and only the second Supreme Court justice to lie in state at the Capitol.

Lawmakers, along with Ginsburg’s family and friends, wiped away tears and placed their hands over their hearts as they gazed upon her flag-draped casket in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. Ginsburg's personal trainer paid his respects by doing push-ups in front of her casket.

Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more:  https://bit.ly/32HUBnJ

Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens: https://bit.ly/32wc4iG

Ginsburg's casket was placed on top of a catafalque built in 1865 for when President Lincoln lied in state and has been used for the rare honor ever since.

“It is with profound sorrow and deep sympathy to the Ginsburg family that I have the high honor to welcome Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to lie in state in the Capitol of the United States. She does so on the catafalque built for Abraham Lincoln. May she rest in peace,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said as she opened Friday’s ceremony.

In a separate statement, Pelosi said, “Ruth Bader Ginsburg: petite in size, monumental in impact. Justice Ginsburg embodied justice, brilliance and goodness. Her passing is an incalculable loss for our democracy and for all who strive to build a better future for our children.”

“On the West façade of the Supreme Court, facing the Capitol, are inscribed the words ‘equal justice under the law.’ Justice Ginsburg dedicated her life to that principle – and now, we must continue her work, upholding that same ideal,” Pelosi added in her statement.

The rabbi who leads the Washington synagogue where Ginsburg worshiped eulogized her as a leader in gender equality who demonstrated persistence over the course of her lifetime and with her judicial dissents. Read more at The Hill