US Sen. John McCain to lie in state at Arizona Capitol on Wednesday

PHOENIX — Arizonans will get the chance to pay their respects to U.S. Sen. John McCain as he will lie in state at the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced the decision on Sunday.

“Senator John McCain will lie in state here at the Arizona Capitol this Wednesday — his birthday,” Ducey posted on Twitter. “This is a rare and distinct occurrence for a truly special man.

“John McCain is Arizona, and we will honor his life every way we can.”

A private, formal ceremony to pay respects and honor the senator’s life and service will start at 10 a.m. inside the rotunda of the Arizona State Capitol.

After the ceremony, the public will be allowed to pay their respects to McCain starting at 2 p.m.

No firearms or cameras will be allowed at the viewing.

The senator died at the age of 81 on Saturday after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer that begins in the brain, since July 2017.

His health had slowly been failing ever since — he was hospitalized several times with injuries or because of his treatments.

McCain discontinued cancer treatment on Friday.

McCain was expected to be remembered at ceremonies in Arizona and Washington before being buried, likely this coming week, at the U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery on a peninsula overlooking the Severn River in Annapolis, Maryland.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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