Philando Castile's funeral procession to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday

The public is welcome to view Philando Castile's funeral procession and to attend his funeral Thursday, as well as to come to a late-afternoon reception at the St. Paul school where he was a longtime nutrition services supervisor, organizers said Wednesday.

The procession, which will feature a horse-drawn hearse, will take place from 9 to 9:30 a.m. in St. Paul as it heads from Brooks Funeral Home, 862 Concordia Av., to the St. Paul Cathedral, 239 Selby Av.

The procession will head down Concordia, around J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet School at 998 Selby Av., where Castile worked, then head to the cathedral. A police squad car will escort the procession.

The public is also welcome at the noon funeral, organizers say, but the family has requested that there be no still or video photography inside the cathedral. Visitation will be held at the cathedral from 10 a.m. to noon.

Castile's burial, which will follow the funeral, will be private, but the public is invited to a reception to honor him from 4 to 6 p.m. at J.J. Hill.

Hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided for 1,500 to 2,000 people, although more may show up, said Toya Stewart-Downey, a spokeswoman for St. Paul Area Schools. While the school district is not providing the food — it's coming from an anonymous donor — it will help with serving and cleanup, she said.

The reception also may feature a prayer, a speech and music, she said, but will primarily be a time for Castile's family, friends and co-workers, as well as school families, to gather and celebrate his life.

Parking at the school will be reserved for Castile family members and handicapped visitors, Stewart-Downey said. Other visitors are asked to park on neighborhood streets and walk to the site.

Castile, 32, was fatally shot by a St. Anthony police officer during a traffic stop last week. His death, as well as that of another black man in Louisiana, has sparked nationwide protests.

According to the cathedral, the request for a funeral there came from Valerie Castile, Philando's mother, who has asked that the service emphasize peace and reconciliation.

The Rev. John Ubel, rector of the cathedral, will lead prayers. The Rev. Steve Daniels Sr., pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church of St. Paul, will deliver the eulogy. A visiting choir will perform.