Lying in Repose
I heard on NPR today that Chief Justice William Rehnquist’s body is lying in repose at the Supreme Court, and I wondered what the difference was between “lying in repose” and “lying in state”. Here it is, in case you’re curious, too, courtesy of Wikipedia:
Lying in repose is when the remains of a deceased person, often one of some stature, are available for viewing by the public. This is different from “lying in state;” the latter term refers to a formal honor, generally in the principal government building of a country and accompanied by an honor guard. [Source: Wikipedia:Lying in Repose]
