Editing Lying in state (section)

==Soviet Union==
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During the time of the [[Soviet Union]] (1917–1991), the [[state funeral]]s of the most senior political and military leaders, such as [[Vladimir Lenin#Death and funeral: 1923–1924|Vladimir Lenin]], [[Joseph Stalin#Death, funeral and aftermath|Joseph Stalin]], [[Leonid Brezhnev#Last years and death|Leonid Brezhnev]], [[Yuri Andropov#Death and funeral|Yuri Andropov]], and [[Konstantin Chernenko#Health problems, death and legacy|Konstantin Chernenko]] all followed the same basic outline. They took place in Moscow, beginning with a public lying in state of the deceased in the [[House of the Unions]], and ending with an interment at [[Red Square]].

For the lying in state at the [[House of the Unions]], the coffin would be placed on display in the Column Hall, which would be decorated by flowers, numerous [[red flag (politics)|red flags]] and other [[communist symbolism|communist symbols]]. The mourners, which usually would be brought in by the thousands, shuffled up a marble staircase beneath chandeliers draped in black gauze. On the stage at the left side of the Column Hall, a full orchestra in black tailcoats played classical music. The deceased's [[embalmed]] body, dressed in a black suit, white shirt and a tie, was displayed in an open coffin on a [[catafalque]] banked with carnations, red roses and tulips, facing the queue of mourners. A small [[guard of honour]] would be in attendance in the background. At the right side of the hall, seats were placed for guests of honour, with the front row reserved for the dead leader's family.

On the day of the funeral, a military funeral parade would take place during which the coffin would be conveyed from the House of the Unions to Red Square where burial would take place. Lenin and Stalin were placed inside the [[Lenin Mausoleum]], while Brezhnev, Andropov, and Chernenko were interred in individual graves in the [[Kremlin Wall Necropolis]].