WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (KUNA) -- A state funeral was held at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday to honor former president Jimmy Carter with President Joe Biden eulogizing him as "an honest man" and "a leader ahead of his time." The former president passed away at his home in Georgia on December 29; he was the first US president to reach the age of 100.
President Biden had declared Thursday a day of national mourning in tribute to the former president.
Biden highlighted Carter's life and referred to him as "a man who never let the ties of politics divert him from his mission to serve and shape the world." "We're keeping the faith with the best of humankind and the best of America, is a story, in my view, from my perspective, of Jimmy Carter's life," CNN quoted Biden as saying in his eulogy.
"The story of a man, to state the obvious, you've heard today, some great, great eulogies, who came from a house without running water, nor electricity, and rose as a pinnacle of power," Biden said.
Recalling his early endorsement of Carter's candidacy for president while he was a young senator, Biden said he based that endorsement based "on what I believe is Jimmy Carter's enduring attribute: character, character, character." "Because of that, character I believe is destiny. Destiny in our lives, and quite frankly, destiny in the life of the nation. It's an accumulation of a million things built on character that leads to a good life and a decent country. "Life of purpose, life of meaning. Now, how do we find that good life? What does it look like what does it take to build character? Do the ends justify the means?" "Jimmy Carter's friendship taught me, and through his life, taught me, strength of character is more than title or the power we hold," Biden added.
In attendance at the funeral were Vice President Kamala Harris, the President-elect Donald Trump, the next Vice President JD Vance, and the former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Dozens of foreign leaders were also present, including King Charles III, of the United Kingdom, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Jimmy Carter had led enduring foreign policy initiatives, including the historic peace treaty between Egypt and Israel and the normalization of the US-China relations. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize or his worldwide peace and human rights work in 2002. (end) rsr.gb