On Monday, President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in using two Bibles, a tradition observed in past presidential inaugurations. The ceremony marks the culmination of the 60th Presidential Inauguration.
One Bible holds personal significance for Trump, a gift from his mother upon his Sunday Church Primary School graduation in 1955. This 1953 revised standard version, published by Thomas Nelson and Sons, bears Trump's embossed name and inscriptions from church officials.
The second Bible, the historic Lincoln Bible, adds a layer of historical weight to the ceremony. Originally used at Abraham Lincoln's 1861 inauguration, this Bible has witnessed the swearing-in of several presidents, including Barack Obama at both of his inaugurations and Trump himself in 2017. The Library of Congress now safeguards this burgundy velvet-bound artifact.
President Donald Trump takes the oath of office in 2017.
Closeup of the Bible during Trump's 2017 oath of office.
Another view of Trump's 2017 oath of office.
Michelle Obama with the Lincoln Bible in 2009.
The Lincoln Bible.
President Obama also used two Bibles during his 2013 inauguration, one of which was the Lincoln Bible and the other belonged to Martin Luther King Jr. Trump's inauguration will take place in the Capitol rotunda, where he will face a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. on the federal holiday honoring King's legacy.
