Late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday became the first woman and first Jewish person to be laid to rest at the US State Capitol. Ginsburg’s casket which was draped with the US flag was carried up the Capitol and brought to the Statuary Hall, where the late justice’s relatives, US Presidential candidate Joe Biden, politicians and other dignitaries were in attendance to pay their respect.

Attendees wearing masks to curtail the spread of coronavirus placed their hands on their hearts as an honour guard laid the casket on a black-ribbon-draped wooden stand. The stand which is also known as a catafalque was the same one that bore president Abraham Lincoln’s body.

Ginsburg who died on September 18 at the age of 87, was only the second woman to serve on America’s apex court. Ginsburg was appointed to the US Supreme Court during the tenure of Democratic President Bill Clinton. Ginsburg was instrumental in changing the face of US anti-discrimination law.

“May she rest in peace,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in brief remarks, before later approaching the casket and crossing herself.

Most attendees at the funeral were Democrats although few Republican leaders including   Steve Scalise were in attendance. Rabbi Lauren Holtzblatt in reflection said Ginsburg ‘pursued justice,’ every day of her life.

“Justice did not arrive like a lightning bolt but rather through dogged persistence,” the rabbi said.

The ceremony was conducted in the historic Statuary Hall, where Civil rights icon Rosa Parks, a private civilian was laid to rest.

US President Donald Trump who had paid his respect to the late justice on Thursday is confident of filling the crucial vacancy caused by the demise of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg