Scalia funeral set at largest U.S. Catholic church
WASHINGTON — A funeral Mass for Justice Antonin Scalia is scheduled to be celebrated at the nation’s largest Roman Catholic church, a place where popes have prayed and millions of pilgrims and tourists have visited.
The Mass on Saturday morning at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception completes two days of official mourning for Scalia, who spent nearly three decades on the high court and was one of the country’s most influential conservatives.
The basilica can hold at least 3,500 people, and those seats are expected to be filled with family, friends and dignitaries. Members of the public also can attend without an invitation, but they should get there early to pass through security, basilica spokeswoman Jacquelyn Hayes said.
All the current Supreme Court justices are expected to attend. Burial plans have not been announced.
More than 3,000 people — from President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to former law clerks, locals and tourists — paid tribute to Scalia at the Supreme Court on Friday, where his flag-draped casket was set atop a funeral bier first used after President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.
Scalia’s casket will remain at the Supreme Court until early Saturday morning. In a court tradition, groups of his former law clerks took turns standing vigil all day and Friday and overnight.
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill were to attend the Mass, but the Obamas weren’t, despite some criticism from Republicans. In addition to their visit Friday, they offered condolences to Scalia’s son, Lt. Col. Matthew Scalia.
GOP presidential hopeful Ted Cruz said he would interrupt his campaign ahead of Saturday night’s South Carolina primary to attend the Mass. The Texas senator has been among those urging the Senate not to consider replacing Scalia until after the election. Obama has insisted that he will select a nominee
The traditional funeral Mass will be led by Rev. Paul Scalia, one of the justice’s nine children and a Catholic priest serving the diocese of Arlington, Va. Scalia’s son also will deliver the homily. No eulogy is expected.
There will be opening remarks from Washington Archbishop Donald Cardinal Wuerl, formerly bishop of the Pittsburgh diocese. A passage from the Old Testament will be read by Leonard Leo, executive director of the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group. A passage from the New Testament will be read by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The 79-year-old Scalia died unexpectedly last weekend at a Texas ranch.
It will be the first time a funeral for a Supreme Court justice has been held at the basilica. It was the site of the 2010 funeral of Gen. Alexander M. Haig Jr., who served as secretary of state to President Ronald Reagan, and the 2008 funeral for Tony Snow, who was press secretary to President George W. Bush.
