Washington National Cathedral is proud to host the official State Funeral for President George H.W. Bush on Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 11 a.m.
For the Media
All media credentials for a state funeral at the Cathedral are issued by the Military District of Washington. The Cathedral does not credential media for a state funeral. For information on credentialing, please visit the MDW’s website, or call (202) 685-4645. For questions regarding access to the Cathedral grounds prior to Wednesday’s state funeral, please email West End Strategy Team or call (202) 776-7703.
General FAQ
Q: Is the service open to the public?
Unfortunately, due to the large number of expected guests and dignitaries, the Cathedral service is invitation-only. The Cathedral does not have the ability to extend invitations to the general public.
Q: How can I watch the service?
Wednesday’s funeral service will be carried live by all major television networks.
Q: Who is leading the service?
The state funeral service – based on the Burial Rite in the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer – will be led by the Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church; the Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington; the Very Rev. Randy Hollerith, dean of Washington National Cathedral; and the Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson, Jr., rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas.
Q: Why is the state funeral being held at the Cathedral?
The Cathedral’s founders envisioned this Cathedral as a “great church for national purposes,” and one of the Cathedral’s core missions is to open its doors to the nation at times of joy, mourning and national significance. President Bush, in consultation with the Bush family and the Military District of Washington, chose Washington National Cathedral as the site of Wednesday’s service.
Q: What other state funerals have been hosted at the Cathedral?
The Cathedral was proud to host the state funerals of Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower (1969), Ronald Reagan (2004) and Gerald Ford (2007). A burial service was held at the Cathedral for President Woodrow Wilson in 1924; President Wilson was buried in the Cathedral and is the only U.S. President buried in Washington, D.C.
More information about the State Funeral process
Presidential Services at Washington National Cathedral
The Cathedral has hosted three State Funerals (Eisenhower, Reagan, Ford), one official burial service (Wilson), and seven presidential Memorial Services. Additionally, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington officiated at President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s funeral, which was held in the East Room of the White House.
