Joe Biden's presidential inauguration ceremony has begun.
Joe Biden has officially become the 46th president of the United States.
Biden took the oath of office just before noon Wednesday during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. The presidential oath was administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Biden was sworn in using a Bible that has been in his family since 1893 and was used during his swearing-in as vice president in 2009 and 2013. The 5-inch thick Bible, which could be seen on a table next to Biden's chair on the dais, has a Celtic cross on its cover and was also used each time he was sworn- n as a U.S. senator.
Biden's late son, Beau, also used the Bible for his own swearing-in ceremony as attorney general of Delaware and helped carry the Bible to his father's 2013 ceremony.
Kamala Harris has been sworn in as the nation's first female vice president.
The former U.S. senator from California is also the first Black person and the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency and becomes the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in government.
She was sworn in Wednesday by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court. Vice President Mike Pence, standing in for President Donald Trump, was sitting nearby as Lady Gaga sang the national anthem accompanied by the U.S. Marine Corps band.
The ceremony in which presidential power is transferred is a hallowed American democratic tradition. And this time it serves as a jarring reminder of the challenges Biden faces: The inauguration unfolds at a U.S. Capitol battered by an insurrectionist siege just two weeks ago, encircled by security forces. It's devoid of crowds because of the threat of the coronavirus pandemic.
Flouting tradition, Donald Trump departed Washington on Wednesday morning ahead of the inauguration rather than accompany his successor to the Capitol.
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are attending.
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Inauguration Day typically brings swarms of people to the nation's capital in order to watch the next president take the oath of office, however, with safety guidelines in place amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, things will look a little different this year.
Much of the ceremony will be virtual, with Lady Gaga kicking things off with a performance of the national anthem at around 11:30am ET. Biden and Kamala Harris are expected to take the oath of office around 12pm ET, led by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr.
Harris will be sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor in a historic female first, ABC News reports.
Then, Biden will give his inaugural address.
According to NBC News, Biden has begun writing his speech for the big day, with an emphasis on familiar themes that he's stressed throughout his entire campaign: unity and healing.
Facing more crises than any other incoming president in recent history, Biden will continue to focus on these themes as he battles issues like the coronavirus pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and political unrest and division in the country.
Other guests that will be present for the swearing-in include Father Leo J. O'Donovan, Andrea Hall, Amanda Gorman, Jennifer Lopez, and Reverend Dr. Silvester Beaman.
After taking oath, Biden will be escorted toward the White House by representatives of each military branch.
Beginning at 8:30pm ET, a special titled "Celebrating America," hosted by Tom Hanks, will air, featuring performances by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, and John Legend.
Associated Press contributed to this story.
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