JOE Biden has tweeted it's a "new day in America" as he attends mass with bipartisan leaders ahead of his inauguration later today.
The president-elect is due to be sworn in by noon before giving an inaugural address in which he is expected to urge unity for the country.
Read our Inauguration Day 2021 live blog for the very latest news and updates on Joe Biden's swearing-in and Donald Trump's exit…
Today’s ceremony will see performances from the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, and John Legend.
It will also be guarded by 25,000 members of the National Guard amid security concerns following the storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters on January 6.
Ahead of the event, Biden is attending a service at the the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
A tweet from Biden's twitter account this morning read: "It’s a new day in America."
Speaking on CNN this morning, incoming White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the invitations to bipartisan leaders were intended to "be used as an example" of the path forward for the country.
Pictures showed Biden in church alongside wife Dr Jill Biden as well as incoming vice president Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff.
She also said Biden’s inaugural address would “definitely not [be] a speech about Donald Trump”.
Communications director Kate Bedingfield told ABC that Joe Biden’s address would “speak to the moment that we are in, but it will also lay out a vision for the future”.
This year's inauguration will be vastly different to previous ones because of the strict restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 and increased security after a mob of Trump supporters breached the Capitol.
The seige on January 6 left five people dead – including a police officer.
Tens of thousands of National Guard troops have been deployed across the capital after authorities have warned some extremist Trump supporters are calling for more violence.
There have been no specific threats made against Biden.
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The nation's capital is essentially on lockdown as tanks and concrete barriers block the streets, the National Mall is closed, fencing is on the perimeter of the Capitol and checkpoints sit at intersections.
More than 25,000 troops and police have been called up.
The Secret Service, which is in charge of the event, says it is prepared for today's historic event.
Donald Trump will not be attending Biden's inauguration and is the first president since Andrew Johnson in 1869 to opt out.
The tradition of attending the successor's inauguration goes back to the country's first president George Washington to show how America can tranisition leadership peacefully.
Biden and Harris have also urged supporters to stay home because of the pandemic, but a small number of tickets will be distributed.
About 200,000 small US state and terroritial flags have been planted on the National Mall – to represent those you cannot attend.
Superstar Lady Gaga will sing the National Anthem to a noticiably reduced crowd before Biden takes his oath to serve as president.
JLo will also give a performance just before the ceremony.
Today's inauguration will start at 11am local time with a prayer from Biden's longtime friend Leo O'Donovan.
Then the Pledge of Allegience will be led by Andrea Hall, the first African American female firefighter to become captian of her unit in Fulton, Georgia.
Lady Gaga will then sing the "Star Spangled Banner" before Amanda Gorman, the first-ever Youth Laureate, will read a poem.
Then popstar JLo will perform followed by country singer Garth Brooks, who has said he is performing for "unity".
The final person to speak before the ceremony officially starts is Rev. Silvester Beaman, who will deliver a benediction.
At noon, Chief Justice John Roberts along with Biden and his wife Jill begin the ceremony.
Jill will hold the family's 127-year-old bible that Biden will put his hand on while taking the oath.
After Biden is sworn in, Justice Sonya Sotomayor will swear in Kamala Harris as vice president.
Harris will use two bibles – one from a friend Regina Sheltong and the personal one belonging to the first black Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
Biden will then deliver his address for about 30 minutes.
The usual traditions of luncheons and celebrations will not happen this year.
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