State funeral

A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, which society holds to honor people of national significance. The term often connotes that the head of state has decreed the funeral to be a state ceremony, though the deceased's personal status before death often dictates whether a state funeral is held. State funerals commonly are characterized by elaborate ceremonies, military processions, the presence of high-ranking officials, and, frequently, huge public viewings, and have often occurred throughout human history and in most cultures. The concept is translatable to Hebrew as levayat medinah (לִוָיַת מְדִינָה). In French, it is known as funérailles nationales, in Spanish as funeral de estado, and in German as Staatsbegräbnis. Key contextual information includes the fact that state funerals are typically reserved for heads of state, military leaders, or other significant public figures, and they serve to acknowledge the deceased's contributions to the nation and to provide a sense of closure and unity for the public.