Officials said on Tuesday that the body of Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W. Va., will lie in repose in the Senate chamber the day before he is to be buried in West Virginia.

It was reported that Byrd, who died Monday at 92, was the longest-serving member of Congress ever. He served 51 years in the Senate following six years in the House, in a congressional career that began when Dwight D. Eisenhower took the presidential oath in 1953.

According to the reports of The Hill, Byrd will lie in repose in the well of the Senate from 10 a. m. until 4 p. m. Thursday, while the Senate takes a break from official work.

The Senate chaplain will say a prayer in the chamber at 10:30 a. m., said the office of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The Capitol Hill publication has said that Byrd will be the first senator in 51 years to lie in repose in the Senate chamber. The most recent was former Sen. William Langer, R-N. D., who died in 1959.

The practice has become "quite uncommon" since World War II but was not uncommon in the 19th century, said assistant Senate Historian Katherine Scott.

Byrd is to be buried Friday morning in Charleston, W. Va.

The White House said on Tuesday that President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will attend the service on Friday. (With Inputs from Agencies)