If you’re juggling family, work, and the spiritual life during Great Lent (or any fasting season), learning to pray the Small Compline (Orthodox) at home can bring a fountain of life to your evening routine. Read on to find out exactly what Small Compline Orthodox services look like, how to incorporate them into your present life, and why they’re so treasured among Orthodox Christians worldwide.
🌙 Discovering The Small Compline
When we first tried incorporating Small Compline into our evenings, it felt overwhelming. With two young kids, our nights were already packed—shopping, cooking, cleaning, homework, walking the dog. By the time we finally sat down, we were either too tired, too distracted, or too impatient. The idea of adding a long prayer service on top of everything else? It felt impossible.
But we kept hearing how important Small Compline was, especially during Great Lent. So, instead of giving up, we started small. We committed to praying it only on Wednesdays and Fridays, using those fasting days to slow down and reset. Instead of rushing through, we made it a time to unwind—lighting a candle, burning incense, and embracing the stillness. We also included more prostrations, letting our bodies participate in the prayer. The more we leaned into the rhythm of Small Compline, the more it became a gift rather than an obligation. It wasn’t just another task at the end of the day; it became a moment of peace, a way to lay everything before the Lord Jesus Christ, Giver of Life, and prepare for rest.
If you’ve ever struggled to include Small Compline in your routine, you’re not alone. This guide is for you—the one looking for a simple, practical way to embrace this beautiful Orthodox evening prayer. By the end of this post, you’ll know what Small Compline is, when and how to pray it, and how to make it a part of your home in a way that truly nourishes your faith.
☦️ What is orthodox Small Compline?
The Small Compline is an Orthodox evening service for home, typically read after dinner. It includes Psalms, hymns, and prayers that focus on repentance, thanksgiving, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It calls upon the Holy Angels for protection through the night, recognizes the role of the Mother of God, and implores the Holy Trinity—Father Almighty, Only-Begotten Son of God, and Life-Giving Spirit—for mercy and guidance.
Key Points to Remember
- You’ll hear the same praises found in the Trisagion Prayers.
- The prayers often mention the Mother of our God, the Pure Virgin, emphasizing the Theotokos’s role as our intercessor.
- The entire service points us toward the glory of God, reminding us to have a clean heart and a right spirit during the evening.
📖 What is the difference between Great Compline and Small Compline?
The Great Compline is a longer service often used in certain fasting periods, typically weekdays of Great Lent, and is known for its more extended set of Psalms, canons, and prayers.
The Small Compline, on the other hand, is shorter and more commonly prayed on weeknights, even during non lenten seasons. It still contains rich prayers, but they’re more concise, making it easier for daily or home use.
Practical Considerations:
- Time Commitment: the Great Compline can take longer, fitting times of deeper reflection like the third day of a Lenten cycle or especially strict fast days. The Small Compline is more accessible and can fit into your present life even after a busy day.
- Seasonal Usage: Some jurisdictions use the Small Compline almost every evening, while the Great Compline might be reserved for the more penitential seasons such as Great Lent.
🕯 When to read Small Compline?
Typically, the Small Compline is prayed after dinner or later in the evening, after all daily activities are done. Many families pray it together just before bedtime.
During fasts (like Great Lent), you can incorporate it into your daily prayer routine to keep your spirit focused on the glory of God and your wretched soul on the path of repentance.
Family-Friendly Tips:
Family-Friendly Tips:
- Involve Children: Let them hold an icon of the Holy Virgin or the Lord Jesus Christ, so they feel included.
- Set a Regular Time: For example, right after dinner or before bedtime stories with the kids.
- Create a Prayerful Space: gather in a quiet area such as your prayer corner. Dim the lights, light a candle, and burn some incense (with caution, especially around children).
⏰ How long is a Compline?
The full Small Compline can range from 30 to 45 minutes. This time estimate can vary based on your pacing and whether you include optional readings or hymns.
By contrast, The Great Compline can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or more, especially in parish settings during Great Lent.
Flexibility in Length:
Flexibility in Length:
- If you find yourself short on time, consider focusing on the main prayers and Psalms.
- You can adjust by chanting or reading silently, adding prostrations, etc. The key is sincerity, maintaining a clean heart and a right spirit, rather than hurrying through.
🌙 What’s the difference between Compline and Evening Prayer?
1. Compline vs. General Evening Prayers
Compline is a structured service in the Orthodox Church that wraps up the day’s cycle of worship. It typically includes Psalms, hymns, and prayers emphasizing repentance and spiritual reflection before rest. On the other hand, Evening Prayer can refer to a variety of nighttime devotions—like the Prayer of the Hours or other personal prayers.
2. Are Evening Prayers Needed if You’re Already Saying Small Compline?
In some prayer books—such as Orthodox Christian Prayers (Prayer Book) by John Mikitish—specific Evening Prayers are woven right into Small Compline.
If your book provides both together, there’s no need to do a separate set of evening prayers.
However, if your text does not include them, or you prefer more personal devotions, you can absolutely add a short Evening Prayer before or after Compline to deepen your nightly prayer routine.
3. Emphasis on Repentance and Protection
Compline highlights our need for God’s mercy and invites us to acknowledge the fallen nature of our race with humility and contrition. It also calls on the holy angels for protection through the night, asking God to shield us from any temptations or distractions the enemy hath set in our path.
Recommended Prayer Book:
![Image of Book: Orthodox Christian Prayers [Prayer Book]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71k5E2JzoAL._SY522_.jpg)
Book: Orthodox Christian Prayers [Prayer Book]
Buy Now →🏠 How to Pray Small Compline at Home + The Official Text
1. Setting the Mood
- Find a quiet corner with an icon or two (for instance, an icon of the Virgin Mary or the Lord Jesus Christ).
- Light a candle if safe, and gather anyone who wishes to pray with you.
2. Before You Begin
- Stand quietly for a moment, remembering you are in thy presence, offering thy praise to the Creator of Heaven and earth.
- Start with your usual opening prayers, like “O Heavenly King, the Spirit of Truth,” to invoke the Holy Trinity.
3. Reading the Official Text of Small Compline
Structure Summary:
- Trisagion Prayers (Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal)
- Nicene Creed (We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only-Begotten Son of God, etc.)
- Psalm Readings
- Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy) repeated multiple times
- Hymns to the Theotokos (O most Pure Virgin, rejoice!)
- Final Prayers and Dismissal (Concluding prayers, including prayers of our holy fathers)
Follow each prayer in the order presented. Keep a steady, prayerful pace. Notice how often you call on the Giver of Life, the Son of the Father, the Name of the Father, and the Treasury of Good Things. These phrases underscore the depth of Orthodox theology and remind us of the multitude of thy mercies.
4. Incorporating It into Fasting Seasons
- During Great Lent, or any fasting season, you might feel your impulses of passion and hunger pangs. Turn to Small Compline for spiritual strength.
- Focus on the lines calling for a broken spirit and clean heart, as these help align our wretched soul with Christ’s victory over the sin of the world.
Want to hear the Small Compline? Play this video:
🎉 Final Take Away
Small Compline offers a beautiful way to end the day in the joy of your salvation, placing everything under the care of the Holy Trinity. By setting aside just 10–20 minutes each night, you can guard your home and heart with holy angels, draw closer to the Thine Altar, and renew your commitment to the Good Will of O God.
- Practice: Give Small Compline a try this week.
- Reflect: Notice how it changes your nighttime atmosphere, especially during Great Lent.
- Share: If you find it beneficial, share this post with a friend and comment below on your experience. You never know who else may need this gentle evening prayer routine!
May the Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Hope, fill you with the Joy of Thy Salvation and a Right Spirit as you end each day in prayer, preserving you from the eternal punishment and leading you to the promise of good things in the ages of ages. Amen!
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Vespers occurs in the late afternoon or early evening, and it ushers in the new day. Compline is prayed later at night to close the cycle of prayer. While Vespers focuses on thanksgiving and reflection on God’s guidance, Compline emphasizes repentance, protection, and peace before rest.
It is called Compline from the Latin word “completorium,” meaning “completion.” Early monastics used this term to mark the end of the day’s prayers. By calling it Compline, the Church underlines that this service completes the cycle of prayer, guiding believers to entrust themselves to God’s care as they prepare for the night.
Yes. Roman Catholics also pray Compline, often called “Night Prayer,” as part of the Liturgy of the Hours. Although the format can differ between Orthodox and Catholic traditions, both aim to bring hearts and minds to a peaceful close. Catholics follow a similar structure, including psalms, readings, and prayers of repentance and protection before rest.
A Compline service typically lasts between 10 and 20 minutes when prayed privately, though it can extend if chanted or if extra hymns are included. In a parish setting, it might range from 15 to 30 minutes. The length is flexible, but sincerity and reverence remain vital to receiving its spiritual benefits.
Compline provides a prayerful transition into rest by focusing on trust in God’s protection. Through repentance, believers acknowledge any wrongdoing of the day and seek forgiveness. With psalms, hymns, and petitions, Compline fosters inner calm, quiets the mind, and reminds us of God’s abiding presence, ensuring we end the day in hope and gratitude. It nurtures communion with the Holy Trinity.
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