Compline ( ), also known as Complin, Night Prayer, or the Prayers at the End of the Day, is the final prayer service (or

office An office is a space where an organization's employees perform administrative work in order to support and realize objects and goals of the organization. The word "office" may also denote a position within an organization with specific du ...

) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours, which are prayed at fixed prayer times. The English word is derived from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

, as compline is the completion of the waking day. The word was first used in this sense about the beginning of the 6th century by

St. Benedict Benedict of Nursia ( la, Benedictus Nursiae; it, Benedetto da Norcia; 2 March AD 480 – 21 March AD 548) was an Christianity in Italy, Italian Christian monk, writer, and theologian who is venerated in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Ortho ...

in his '' Rule'' (''Regula Benedicti''; hereafter, RB), in Chapter
16
an

and he even uses the verb ''compleo'' to signify compline: "Omnes ergo in unum positi compleant" ("All having assembled in one place, let them say compline"); "et exeuntes a completorio" ("and, after going out from compline")… (RB, Chap. 42). Compline services are a part of

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, Anglican,

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

, Oriental Orthodox,

Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism. Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...

, and certain other Christian

liturgical Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

traditions. In

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...

, Compline tends to be a contemplative office that emphasizes spiritual peace. In most

monasteries A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

it is the custom to begin the "Great Silence" after compline, during which the whole community, including guests, observes silence throughout the night until after the

Terce Terce is a canonical hour of the Divine Office. It consists mainly of psalms and is held around 9 a.m. Its name comes from Latin and refers to the third hour of the day after dawn. With Sext, None and Compline it belongs to the so-called "Litt ...

the next day. Compline comprises the final office in the

Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours (Latin: ''Liturgia Horarum'') or Divine Office (Latin: ''Officium Divinum'') or ''Opus Dei'' ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the ...

Historical development

:''This section incorporates information from the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1917. References to

psalms The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

follow the numbering system of the

Septuagint The Greek Old Testament, or Septuagint (, ; from the la, septuaginta, lit=seventy; often abbreviated ''70''; in Roman numerals, LXX), is the earliest extant Greek translation of books from the Hebrew Bible. It includes several books beyond ...

, as said in the

of the

Vulgate The Vulgate (; also called (Bible in common tongue), ) is a late-4th-century Latin translation of the Bible. The Vulgate is largely the work of Jerome who, in 382, had been commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Gospels u ...

.'' From the time of the early Church, the practice of seven fixed prayer times have been taught; in '' Apostolic Tradition'', Hippolytus instructed Christians to pray seven times a day "on rising, at the lighting of the evening lamp, at bedtime, at midnight" and "the third, sixth and ninth hours of the day, being hours associated with Christ's Passion." The origin of compline has given rise to considerable discussion among liturgists. In the past, general opinion ascribed the origin of this liturgical hour to

, in the beginning of the 6th century. But Jules Pargoire and A. Vandepitte trace its source to Saint

Basil Basil (, ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' , also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" refers to the variety also k ...

. Vandepitte states that it was not in Cæsarea in 375, but in his retreat in

Pontus Pontus or Pontos may refer to: * Short Latin name for the Pontus Euxinus, the Greek name for the Black Sea (aka the Euxine sea) * Pontus (mythology), a sea god in Greek mythology * Pontus (region), on the southern coast of the Black Sea, in modern ...

(358–362), that Basil established compline, which hour did not exist prior to his time, that is, until shortly after the middle of the 4th century. Dom Plaine also traced the source of compline back to the 4th century, finding mention of it in a passage in

Eusebius Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Chris ...

and in another in

St. Ambrose Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promot ...

, and also in

John Cassian John Cassian, also known as John the Ascetic and John Cassian the Roman ( la, Ioannes Eremita Cassianus, ''Ioannus Cassianus'', or ''Ioannes Massiliensis''; – ), was a Christian monk and theologian celebrated in both the Western and Eastern c ...

. These texts bear witness to the private custom of saying a prayer before retiring to rest. If this was not the canonical hour of compline, it was certainly a preliminary step towards it. The same writers reject the opinion of Paulin Ladeuze and Dom Besse who believe that compline had a place in the Rule of

St. Pachomius Pachomius (; el, Παχώμιος ''Pakhomios''; ; c. 292 – 9 May 348 AD), also known as Saint Pachomius the Great, is generally recognized as the founder of Christian cenobitic monasticism. Copts, Coptic churches celebrate his feast day on ...

, which would mean that it originated still earlier in the 4th century. It might be possible to reconcile these different sentiments by stating that if it be an established fact that St. Basil instituted and organized the hour of compline for the

East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...

, as

did for the

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...

, there existed as early as the days of St. Cyprian and

Clement of Alexandria Titus Flavius Clemens, also known as Clement of Alexandria ( grc , Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς; – ), was a Christian theologian and philosopher who taught at the Catechetical School of Alexandria. Among his pupils were Origen an ...

the custom of reciting a prayer before sleep, in which practice we find the most remote origin of our compline.

Compline in the Roman Rite

It is generally thought that the Benedictine form of compline is the earliest western order, although some scholars, such as Dom Plaine, have maintained that the hour of compline as found in the Roman Breviary at his time, antedated the

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

Office. These debates apart, Benedict's arrangement probably invested the hour of compline with the liturgical character and arrangement which were preserved in the Benedictine Order, and largely adopted by the

Roman Church Holy Roman Church, Roman Church, Church of Rome or Church in Rome may refer to: * The Diocese of Rome or the Holy See * The Latin Church * Churches of Rome (buildings) In historical contexts ''Roman Church'' may also refer to: * The Catholic Chur ...

. The original form of the Benedictine Office, lacking even an

antiphon An antiphon ( Greek ἀντίφωνον, ἀντί "opposite" and φωνή "voice") is a short chant in Christian ritual, sung as a refrain. The texts of antiphons are the Psalms. Their form was favored by St Ambrose and they feature prominentl ...

for the psalms, is much simpler than its Roman counterpart, resembling more closely the Minor Hours of the day. Saint Benedict first gave the Office the basic structure by which it has come to be celebrated in the West: three

psalm The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived f ...

s ( 4, 90, and

133 133 may refer to: *133 (number) * AD 133 *133 BC *133 (song) *133 (New Jersey bus) 133 may refer to: *133 (number) * AD 133 *133 BC *133 (song) 133 may refer to: *133 (number) *AD 133 *133 BC *133 (song) *133 (New Jersey bus) 133 may refer to: * ...

) (Vulgate numbering) said without

s, the

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hy ...

, the lesson, the versicle ''

Kyrie eleison Kyrie, a transliteration of Greek , vocative case of (''Kyrios''), is a common name of an important prayer of Christian liturgy, also called the Kyrie eleison ( ; ). In the Bible The prayer, "Kyrie, eleison," "Lord, have mercy" derives f ...

'', the

benediction A benediction ( Latin: ''bene'', well + ''dicere'', to speak) is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service. It can also refer to a specific Christian religious service including the exposit ...

, and the dismissal (RB, Chaps. 17 and 18). The Roman Office of compline came to be richer and more complex than the simple Benedictine

psalmody The Book of Psalms ( or ; he, תְּהִלִּים, , lit. "praises"), also known as the Psalms, or the Psalter, is the first book of the ("Writings"), the third section of the Tanakh, and a book of the Old Testament. The title is derived ...

. A fourth psalm was added, ''In te Domine speravi'' ( Psalm 30 in Vulgate). And perhaps at a fairly late date was added the solemn introduction of a benediction with a reading (based perhaps on the spiritual reading which, in the Rule of St. Benedict, precedes compline: RB, Chap. 42), and the confession and absolution of faults. This is absent from parallel forms, such as that of Sarum. The distinctive character and greater solemnity of the Roman form of compline comes from the responsory,'' In manus tuas, Domine'' ("Into Thy hands, O Lord"), with the evangelical

canticle A canticle (from the Latin ''canticulum'', a diminutive of ''canticum'', "song") is a hymn, psalm or other Christian song of praise with lyrics usually taken from biblical or holy texts. Canticles are used in Christian liturgy. Catholic Church ...

Nunc Dimittis The Nunc dimittis (), also known as the Song of Simeon or the Canticle of Simeon, is a canticle taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 29 through 32. Its Latin name comes from its incipit, the opening words, of the Vulgate ...

and its anthem, which is particularly characteristic. The hour of compline, such as it appeared in the Roman Breviary prior to the Second Vatican Council, may be divided into several parts, viz. the beginning or introduction, the

, with its usual accompaniment of

s, the

, the ''

capitulum capitulum (plural capitula) may refer to: *the Latin word for chapter ** an index or list of chapters at the head of a gospel manuscript ** a short reading in the Liturgy of the Hours *** derived from which, it is the Latin for the assembly known ...

'', the response, the ''

Nunc dimittis The Nunc dimittis (), also known as the Song of Simeon or the Canticle of Simeon, is a canticle taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, verses 29 through 32. Its Latin name comes from its incipit, the opening words, of the Vulgate ...

'', the prayer, and the

. By way of liturgical variety, the service of ''initium noctis'' may also be studied in the Celtic Liturgy, such as it is read in the

Antiphonary of Bangor The Antiphonary of Bangor (Antiphonarium Monasterii Benchorensis) is an ancient Latin manuscript, supposed to have been originally written at Bangor Abbey in modern-day Northern Ireland. History A thin manuscript volume of 36 leaves, it is the ...

, its plan being set forth by Warren and by Bishop (see Bibliography, below). In the breviary of 1974

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

, compline is divided as follows: introduction, an optional

examination of conscience Examination of conscience is a review of one's past thoughts, words, actions, and omissions for the purpose of ascertaining their conformity with, or deviation from, the moral law. Among Christians, this is generally a private review; secular inte ...

or penitential rite, a

with accompanying

s, scriptural reading, the responsory, the Canticle of Simeon, concluding prayer, and

. The final

to the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

(''

Salve Regina The "Salve Regina" (, ; meaning 'Hail Queen'), also known as the "Hail Holy Queen", is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. The Salve Regina ...

'', etc.) is an essential part of the Office.

Lutheran usage

The office of Compline is included in the various Lutheran books of worship and prayer books (along with Matins/Morning Prayer and Vespers/Evening Prayer), such as ''For All the Saints: A Prayer Book for and by the Church''. In some Lutheran Churches compline may be conducted by a layperson.

Anglican usage

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In the Anglican tradition, Compline was originally merged with

Vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , meanin ...

to form Evening Prayer in the ''

Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the name given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The original book, published in 1549 in the reign ...

''. The United States Episcopal Church's ''Book of Offices'' of 1914, the Church of England's 1928 proposed prayer book, the

Scottish Episcopal Church The Scottish Episcopal Church ( gd, Eaglais Easbaigeach na h-Alba; sco, Scots Episcopal(ian) Kirk) is the ecclesiastical province of the Anglican Communion in Scotland. A continuation of the Church of Scotland as intended by King James VI, and ...

's 1929 Scottish Prayer Book, the Anglican Church of Canada's 1959/1962 prayer book, and also the 2004 version of the ''Book of Common Prayer'' for the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...

, along with the 2009 ''Daily Prayer'' book of the

Church in Wales The Church in Wales ( cy, Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru) is an Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses. The Archbishop of Wales does not have a fixed archiepiscopal see, but serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The p ...

, restored a form of compline to Anglican worship. Several contemporary liturgical texts, including the American 1979 ''Book of Common Prayer'', the Anglican Church of Canada's ''

Book of Alternative Services The ''Book of Alternative Services'' (''BAS'') is the contemporary, inclusive-language liturgical book used in place of the 1962 ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) in most parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, ...

'', and the Church of England's '' Common Worship'', provide modern forms of the service. A traditional form is provided in the 1991 Anglican Service Book. The ''Common Worship'' service consists of the opening sentences, the confession of sins, the psalms and other Bible lessons, the canticle of Simeon, and prayers, including a benediction. There are authorized alternatives for the days of the week and the seasons of the Christian year. As a public service of worship, like Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, compline may be led by a layperson, quite similar to Lutheran use.

Compline in Byzantine usage

Compline is called literally, the after-supper (

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

( ''τὸ'') ''Ἀπόδειπνον'' , Slavonic ''повечеріе'', Povecheriye), has two distinct forms which are quite different in length Small Compline and Great Compline. Both forms include a

canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western ca ...

, typically those found

Octoechos Oktōēchos (here transcribed "Octoechos"; Greek: ;The feminine form exists as well, but means the book octoechos. from ὀκτώ "eight" and ἦχος "sound, mode" called echos; Slavonic: Осмогласие, ''Osmoglasie'' from о́с� ...

to the Theotokos, although alternative canons are used on certain forefeasts, afterfeasts and days during the

Paschaltide Eastertide (also known as Eastertime or the Easter season) or Paschaltide (also known as Paschaltime or the Paschal season) is a festal season in the liturgical year of Christianity that focuses on celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ ...

. A further exception is on days when the service to the saint(s) of the day is displaced by, e.g., by a newly canonized or locally venerated saint (or icon), the displaced canon is used and after that are inserted the

stichera A sticheron (Greek: "set in verses"; plural: stichera; Greek: ) is a hymn of a particular genre sung during the daily evening (Hesperinos/Vespers) and morning ( Orthros) offices, and some other services, of the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Cat ...

prescribed for

vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , meanin ...

. The Office always ends with a mutual asking of forgiveness. In some traditions, most notably among the

Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 '' Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...

, Evening Prayers (i.e., Prayers Before Sleep) are read at the end of compline. It is an ancient custom, practiced on the Holy Mountain and in other monasteries, for everyone present at the end of compline to venerate the

relics In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains of a saint or the personal effects of the saint or venerated person preserved for purposes of veneration as a tang ...

and

icons An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most c ...

in the church, and receive the priest's blessing.

Small Compline

Small compline is prescribed for most nights of the year. It is presided over by a single priest without a deacon. The service is composed of three Psalms (50, 69, 142), the Small Doxology, the Nicene Creed, the Canon followed by ''

Axion Estin ''Axion estin'' (Greek: , Slavonic: Достóйно éсть, ''Dostóino yesť''), or It is Truly Meet, is a megalynarion and a theotokion, i.e. a magnification of and a Hymn to Mary used in the Divine Services of the Eastern Orthodox and ...

'', the

Trisagion The ''Trisagion'' ( el, Τρισάγιον; 'Thrice Holy'), sometimes called by its opening line ''Agios O Theos'', is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox, Western Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Cathol ...

Troparia A troparion (Greek , plural: , ; Georgian: , ; Church Slavonic: , ) in Byzantine music and in the religious music of Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a short hymn of one stanza, or organised in more complex forms as series of stanzas. The wi ...

for the day, ''

'' (40 times), the Prayer of the Hours, the Supplicatory Prayer of Paul the Monk, and the Prayer to Jesus Christ of Antiochus the Monk.Here follow the Evening Prayers in places where they are said at compline. Following these are the mutual forgiveness and final blessing by the priest and the priest's reciting of a

litany Litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Judaic worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes through Latin '' litania'' from Ancient Greek λιτανεία (''lit ...

. Before an

all-night vigil The All-night vigil is a service of the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches consisting of an aggregation of the canonical hours of Compline (in Greek usage only), Vespers (or, on a few occasions, Great Compline), Matins, and the F ...

, compline in the Greek tradition precedes great vespers, being read during the great incensing, while in Russian tradition it simply follows little vespers.

Great Compline

Great Compline is a penitential office which is served on the following occasions: * Tuesday and Thursday nights of Cheesefare Week (the week before Great Lent) * Monday through Thursday nights of Great Lent * Friday nights of Great Lent * Monday and Tuesday of

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

* Monday through Friday during the lesser Lenten seasons:

Nativity Fast In Christianity, the Nativity Fast—or Fast of the Prophets in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church—is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church a ...

, Apostles' Fast, and

Dormition Fast The Dormition of the Mother of God is a Great Feast of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches (except the East Syriac churches). It celebrates the "falling asleep" (death) of Mary the '' Theotokos'' ("Mother o ...

* The Eves of certain

Great Feasts In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter), is the greatest of all holy days and as such it is called the "feast of feasts". Immediately below it in importance, there is a group of Twelve Great F ...

, as a part of the All-Night Vigil: Nativity,

Theophany Theophany (from Ancient Greek , meaning "appearance of a deity") is a personal encounter with a deity, that is an event where the manifestation of a deity occurs in an observable way. Specifically, it "refers to the temporal and spatial manifest ...

, and Annunciation. Unlike Small Compline, Great Compline has portions of the service which are chanted by the Choir and during Lent the Prayer of St. Ephraim is said with prostrations. During the First Week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is divided into four portions and read on Monday through Thursday nights. Due to the penitential nature of Great Compline, it is not uncommon for the priest to hear

Confession A confession is a statement – made by a person or by a group of persons – acknowledging some personal fact that the person (or the group) would ostensibly prefer to keep hidden. The term presumes that the speaker is providing information th ...

during the service. Great Compline is composed of three sections, each beginning with the call to prayer, "O come, let us worship…": First Part :Psalms 4, 6, and 12; Glory…, etc.; Psalms 24, 30, 90; then the hymn "God is With Us" and troparia, the Creed, the hymn "O Most holy Lady Theotokos", the Trisagion and Troparia of the Day, ''Kyrie eleison'' (40 times), "More honorable than the cherubim…" and the Prayer of St. Basil the Great. Second Part :Psalms 50, 101, and the Prayer of Manasses; the Trisagion, and Troparia of Repentance, ''Kyrie eleison'' (40 times), "More honorable than the cherubim…" and the Prayer of St. Mardarius. Third Part :Psalms 69, 142, and the Small Doxology; then the Canon followed by ''

'', the

, the hymn "O Lord of Hosts, be with us…", ''Kyrie eleison'' (40 times), the Prayer of the Hours, "More honorable than the cherubim…", the Prayer of St. Ephraim, Trisagion (this depends on tradition, it is not always recited here), the Supplicatory Prayer of Paul the Monk, and the Prayer to Jesus Christ of Antiochus the Monk. Then the mutual forgiveness. Instead of the normal final blessing by the priest, all prostrate themselves while the priest reads a special intercessory prayer. Then the litany and the veneration of icons and relics.

Oriental Christian usages

Syriac Orthodox Church, Indian Orthodox Church, and Mar Thoma Syrian Church

In the Syriac Orthodox Church and

Indian Orthodox Church The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. The church serves ...

, as well as the Mar Thoma Syrian Church (an Oriental Protestant denomination), the office of Compline is also known as Soutoro and is prayed at 9 pm using the Shehimo breviary.

Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, an Oriental Orthodox denomination, the Compline is prayed at 9 pm using the

Agpeya The ''Agpeya'' ( Coptic: Ϯⲁⲅⲡⲓⲁ, ar, أجبية) is the Coptic Christian "Prayer Book of the Hours" or breviary, and is equivalent to the Shehimo in the Indian Orthodox Church (another Oriental Orthodox Christian denomination), as wel ...

breviary before retiring.

Armenian Liturgy: Hours of Peace and Rest

There are two offices in the daily worship of the

Armenian Apostolic Church , native_name_lang = hy , icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg , icon_width = 100px , icon_alt = , image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , a ...

which are recited between sundown and sleep: the Peace Hour and the Rest Hour. These are two distinct services of communal worship. It is the usage in some localities to combine these two services, with abbreviations, into a single service.

The Peace Hour

The Peace Hour (Armenian: Խաղաղական Ժամ ''khaghaghakan zham'') is the office associated with compline in other Christian liturgies. In the Armenian Book of Hours, or Zhamagirk`, it is stated that the Peace Hour commemorates the Spirit of God, but also the Word of God, “when he was laid in the tomb and descended into Hades, and brought peace to the spirits.” Outline of the Peace Hour If the Song of Steps is recited: ''Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen.''; Psalm 34:1–7: ''I have blessed the Lord at all times ()''…; ''Glory to the Father'' (Always with ''Now and always … Amen''.; ''And again in peace let us pray to the Lord…''; ''Blessing and glory to the Father … Amen.''; Song of Steps: Psalm 120:1–3: ''In my distress I cried ()''…; ''Glory to the Father…'' If the Song of Steps is not said: ''Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our father … Amen''; Psalm 88:1–2 ''God of my salvation ()''…; ''Glory to the Father…''; ''And again in peace let us pray to the Lord …''; ''Blessing and glory to the Father … Amen.''; ''Peace with all.'' In either case the service continues here: Psalms 4, 6, 13, 16, 43, 70, 86:16–17; ''Glory to the Father…''; Song: ''Vouchsafe unto us (Shnorhea mez)…''; ''Glory to the Father…''; Acclamation: ''At the approach of darkness (I merdzenal erekoyis)…''; Proclamation: ''And again in peace … Let us give thanks to the Lord ()…''; Prayer: ''Beneficent Lord (Tēr Barerar)…''; Psalm 27 ''The Lord is my light (Tēr loys im)…''; ''Glory to the Father…''; Song: ''Look down with love (Nayats` sirov)…''; Acclamation: ''Lord, do not turn your face ()…''; Proclamation: ''And again in peace … Let us beseech almighty God (Aghach`ests`ouk` zamenakal'')…; Prayer: ''Bestowing with grace (Shnorhatou bareats`)''… On non-fasting days the service ends here with: ''Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our father … Amen''. On fasting days continue here: Psalm 119; ''Glory to the Father–''; Hymn: ''We entreat you (I k`ez hayts`emk`)…'' During the Great Fast: Evening Chant (varies); Acclamation: ''To the spirits at rest ()…''; Proclamation: ''And again in peace … For the repose of the souls (Vasn hangouts`eal)…; Lord, have mercy'' (thrice); Prayer: ''Christ, Son of God ()…; Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our father… Amen.”''

The Rest Hour

The Rest Hour (Armenian: Հանգստեան Ժամ ) is celebrated after the Peace Hour, and is the last of the offices of the day. It may be considered communal worship before sleep. It bears some resemblance in content to compline in the Roman Rite. In the Armenian Book of Hours it is stated in many manuscripts that the Rest Hour commemorates God the Father, “that he protect us through the protecting arm of the Onlybegotten in the darkness of night.” Outline of the Rest Hour: ''Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen.''; Psalm 43:3–5: ''Lord, send your light and your truth (Arak`ea Tēr)…''; ''Glory to the Father…; And again in peace let us pray to the Lord …; Blessing and glory to the Father … Amen.;'' Psalms 119:41–56, 119:113–120, 119:169–176, 91, 123, 54, Daniel 3:29–34, Luke 2:29–32, Psalms 142:7, 86:16–17, 138:7–8, Luke 1:46–55; ''Glory to the Father…''; Acclamation: ''My soul into your hands ()…''; Proclamation: ''And again in peace … Let us beseech almighty God (Aghach`ests`ouk` zamenakaln)…''; Prayer: ''Lord our God (Tēr Astouats mer)…'' ''Ending:'' Psalm 4; Pre-gospel sequence; Gospel: John 12:24ff; ''Glory to you, our God''; Proclamation: ''By the holy Cross (Sourb khach`ivs…)…''; Prayer: ''Protect us (; ''Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen.'' Ending during Fasts: Acclamation: ''We fall down before you (Ankanimk` araji k`o)…''; Meditation Twelve of St. Gregory of Narek; Meditation 94 of St. Gregory of Narek; Meditation 41 of St. Gregory of Narek; Prayer: ''In faith I confess (Havatov khostovanim)…'' by St. Nerses the Graceful; Acclamation: ''Through your holy spotless and virgin mother (Vasn srbouhvoy)…''; Proclamation: ''Holy Birthgiver of God (Sourb zAstouatsatsinn), ,''; Prayer: ''Accept, Lord (Unkal, Tēr)…''; ''Blessed is our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Father … Amen.''

Notes

References

* Bäumer, ''Histoire du Bréviaire'', tr. Biron, I, 135, 147–149 ''et passim'' * Batiffol, ''Histoire du bréviaire romain'', 35 * Besse, ''Les Moines d'Orient antérieurs au concile de Chalcédoine'' (Paris, 1900), 333 * Bishop, ''A Service Book of the Seventh Century'' in '' The Church Quarterly Review'' (January, 1894), XXXVII, 347 * Butler, ''The Text of St. Benedict's Rule'', in ''Downside Review'', XVII, 223 * Bresard, Luc. ''Monastic Spirituality''. Three vols. (Stanbrook Abbey, Worcester: A.I.M., 1996) * Cabrol, ''Le Livre de la Prière antique'', 224 * , s.v
Complin
* Ladeuze, ''Etude sur le cénobitisme pakhomien pendant le IVe siècle et la première moitié du Ve'' (Louvain, 1898), 288 * Pargoire, ''Prime et complies'' in ''Rev. d'hist. et de littér. relig.'' (1898), III, 281–288, 456–467 * Pargoire and Pétridès in ''Dict. d'arch. et de liturgie'', s. v. Apodeipnon, I, 2579–2589 * Plaine, ''La Génèse historique des Heures'' in ''Rev. Anglo-romaine'', I, 593 * —Idem, "De officii seu cursus Romani origine" in ''Studien u. Mittheilungen'' (1899), X, 364–397 * Vandepitte, ''Saint Basile et l'origine de complies'' in ''Rev. Augustinienne'' (1903), II, 258–264 * Warren, ''The Antiphonary of Bangor: an Early Irish MS.'' (a complete facsimile in collotype, with a transcription, London, 1893) * —Idem, ''Liturgy and Ritual of the Keltic Church'' (Oxford, 1881)

External links

Roman Rite

LOTH

Liturgy of the Hours at www.ebreviary.com
(login required)

(English)
Compline of the Liturgy of the Hours, in Latin with Gregorian chants

Eastern Orthodox

Anglican and Protestant

The Lutheran Service Book with Prayer Offices (LCMS)

* ttp://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Anglican_Service_Book/office.html#compline The Order for Compline in traditional language in The Anglican Service Book (1991)
Night Prayer from Common Worship of the Church of England (Anglican)

An Office for Compline (United Methodist – Order of St Luke)
(PDF)
Compline (Methodist Church – Stewardship Prayer Resources)
(Word file)
Compline (Methodist Church – Stewardship Prayer Resources)
(PDF – booklet format)

Sung compline

*
Compline Choir of Saint Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle
See also Wikipedia entry
Compline Choir of Saint David's Episcopal Church, Austin

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20110726104853/http://www.pacem-music.org/compline/ Pacific Academy of Ecclesiastical Music
Minnesota Compline Choir

Pittsburgh Compline Choir

Weekly Compline at Christ Church, New Haven, CT

Weekly Compline at Christ Church Anglican in Savannah, GA

St. Mary's Schola of St. Mary's Church, Arlington, VA

Compline Choir at The Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC

Compline and litany of the Most blessed Sacrament for the octave of Corpus Christi in the Corpus Christi Royal College of Valencia
{{Authority control Liturgy of the Hours Anglican liturgy Anglo-Catholicism Book of Common Prayer Little Hours