Public Pays Respects to Late Justice Scalia at Supreme Court

WASHINGTON, DC — Members of the public are filing past the casket Friday morning of late Justice Antonin Scalia at the U.S. Supreme Court, after a private ceremony attended by members of his family and others.

People are bundled up, as they wait in line outside the U.S. Supreme Court Friday morning on Capitol Hill under cloudy skies and temperatures in the 30s.

Scalia, who was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1986 and served as a reliably conservative lightning rod throughout his tenure, was found dead Saturday at a luxury resort in West Texas, Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed. He was 79.

U.S. Supreme Court police officers served as pallbearers and former law clerks to the Justice served as honorary pallbearers. The casket was placed in the Great Hall on the Lincoln Catafalque, which has been loaned to the Court by the U.S. Congress for the ceremony, the Court said.

In addition to the general public, President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama and Scalia’s fellow Supreme Court Justices are expected to pay their respects Friday to the late Justice, while his remains lie in repose at the Great Hall inside the Supreme Court building. A 2007 portrait of Justice Scalia by Nelson Shanks is on display in the hall.

C-SPAN is providing coverage of the services from the Great Hall of the Supreme Court.

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The public line forms on the sidewalk in front of the Court (on the East Capital Street side) and the public is entering the building via the visitor entrance. The Supreme Court building will be open for official business only on Friday, while Justice Scalia lies in repose in the Great Hall, the Court said.

Funeral

The funeral Mass for Scalia, for friends and family members, will be held Saturday, Feb. 20, at 11 a.m. at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 400 Michigan Avenue, NE. Parking is extremely limited and attendees are encouraged to use public transit. The closest Metro stop is Brookland-CUA on the Red Line. The Basilica is approximately a one-third mile walk on Michigan Avenue.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to any of the following organizations:

• Supreme Court Historical Society
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington
• Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

The burial will be private.

Image above: C-SPAN is providing coverage of the ceremonies Friday morning at the U.S. Supreme Court where members of the public are invited to pay their respects to the late Justice Antonin Scalia until 8 p.m.

See photos posted to social media from Friday morning here: