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Carole Mikita and Sam Penrod reporting Leaders with the LDS Church are finalizing funeral arrangements for Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. Some new traditions will begin with Saturday's funeral that allow more people than ever to take part.
Over the years, the traditions and protocol for a church president's funeral have changed with the times, and with the addition of the Conference Center and new technology, the funeral for President Hinckley will reflect a growing worldwide church.
In the early days of the LDS Church, when a president died, the hearse would travel down South Temple and church leaders and the mourners would walk behind it to the Tabernacle. Beginning with the death of David O. McKay in 1970, cars formed a funeral cortege. And now the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley will begin a new tradition.
Funeral director Lance Larkin said, "This will be the first one ever held in the Conference Center, and I've been over there numerous times checking the logistics out and how it is going to flow, and I think it will work nicely."
Like any funeral, a mortuary follows the requests of the family and church in planning every detail of the services, but this funeral is on a much larger scale. "The manpower we have to supply to be able to do that is unbelievable, both in and behind the scenes. And then the fleet, what we have to do typically with the hearse, limousines, and floral vans, to get everyone from point A to point B is really quite a task," Larkin explained.
Advances in electronic media since President Hinckley began serving as president will allow millions of people around the world to participate in Saturday's funeral. The funeral will be broadcast to LDS chapels throughout the world and translated into 69 different languages.
And for the first time, a church president's funeral will be available on the Internet on lds.org and ksl.com.
His funeral will be Saturday morning at the Conference Center. The funeral will begin Saturday morning at 11 a.m., and as you can expect, a lot of planning is underway to work out the logistics of such a major event.
Not only is the Conference Center expected to be filled to capacity, but the funeral will be broadcast around the world.
President Hinckley was heavily involved with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir over the years, and the choir will sing at his funeral. His two counselors in the First Presidency are expected to speak, along with other general authorities and family members. There will be many dignitaries in attendance representing the community there as well.
The funeral is expected to last between an hour and 1 ½ hours. It will be uplinked on the church's own satellite system to LDS chapels around the world, and it will be translated into 69 languages.
If you want to attend the funeral, you must line up at the north gate of Temple Square Saturday morning, but no earlier than 7 a.m. Tickets will be distributed beginning at 9 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. You must be present in line to get a ticket, and no one under eight will be admitted.
Overflow seating will also be available in the Assembly Hall, the Tabernacle, and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
The venue for President Gordon B. Hinckley's viewing on Thursday and Friday has been changed to the Conference Center, on 60 W. North Temple in Salt Lake City.
Conference Center doors will open at 9 a.m. for the viewing and will close at 7 p.m. both days.
The funeral will be held on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. He will then be buried beside his wife, Marjorie, in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Here's an overview of our live coverage associated with the funeral this weekend.
KSL 5: Passing of a Prophet
Saturday, Feb. 2
10 a.m. Eyewitness News Special Report
11 a.m. Funeral Services from LDS Conference Center
12:30 p.m. News Coverage
1 p.m. Interment
2 p.m. President Hinckley Biography
3 p.m. A Faith for All Seasons
On Saturday, KSL 5 will start an Eyewitness News Special Report at 10 a.m. and then carry the funeral services live from the Conference Center. Coverage will continue through President Hinckley's interment. Then KSL TV will air two documentaries: President Hinckley's Biography and A Faith for All Seasons.
KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM
You can listen to the funeral service and live team coverage Saturday on KSL Newsradio 102.7 FM/1160 AM from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
KSL.com
You can also watch and listen to KSL's coverage of President Hinckley's funeral on the Internet, beginning at 10 a.m.
KSL 5: Passing of a Prophet
Sunday, Feb. 3
10 a.m. President Hinckley Biography
KSL TV will re-broadcast the President Hinckley Biography Sunday at 10 a
