Southwark Cathedral 28 June 2026 | Compline and Benediction from Southwark Cathedral

Compline and Benediction

Welcome to Southwark Cathedral

Set on the south bank of the River Thames in one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in London, this building has been a constant witness in a place of change.

The first church was built on this site around the year 606. First a convent, then a monastery, it became in 1106 the Augustinian Priory of St Mary Overie. With Westminster Abbey and St Bartholomew the Great in Smithfield it is one of the three remaining great monastic churches of London. At the Reformation the Priory became a parish church and it remains so for the people of Bankside. In 1905, as south London was rapidly expanding, the church was consecrated as the cathedral for the new Diocese of Southwark.

As well as a place of constant witness to our faith in Jesus Christ, this church has a momentous and proud history and has had links with many famous and influential characters including St Thomas Becket, Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.

In the 20th century this cathedral was at the heart of the new movement in theology termed 'South Bank Religion'. This movement asked challenging questions of people about faith in the modern age which continue to be explored at Southwark Cathedral which describes itself as 'inclusive: faithful: radical'.

Whatever has brought you here today, you are most welcome. Become part of the life here if you can; it will change your life as you encounter with us our living God.

Introduction

The monastic day was shaped by a pattern of prayer. Those in the community would gather for Offices throughout the day, the last of which was called Compline. The name is derived from the Latin word completorium which means completion. The Office therefore completes the day and prepares us for the night that will follow. At the time of the Reformation in England the Office of Compline disappeared as a service in its own right, though Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in preparing the services for the Book of Common Prayer included elements of the old offices of Vespers and Compline to create Evensong as we know it.

Compline was revised in Anglican usage in the 1928 Prayer Book and has been much used subsequently especially as an office in Lent and during retreats and quiet days. Common Worship has brought the office back as an authorised service of the church. The form used in this service is the traditional order using the plainsong chants that link us back to the Sarum (Salisbury) usage.

Following Compline we spend time reflecting on the Blessed Sacrament. The Sacrament is reserved in the Harvard Chapel of the Cathedral and is taken to those who through sickness or for any other reason are unable to make their communion in church. The presence of the Blessed Sacrament is also an aid to devotion. In this part of the service the Sacrament is exposed on the altar and we are led in meditation before it.

As a conclusion, the Priest gives a blessing using the Blessed Sacrament. This is similar to the action made by many Anglican priests as the host is placed in peoples' hands at communion – the sign of the cross is made with the host as a sign of God's blessing. This form of service – often called Benediction (Blessing) – has existed since the 14th century and most usually forms the conclusion to an office of some kind.

The Office of Compline

Please stand.

The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

All: Amen.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in the faith.

But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.

All: Thanks be to God.

There follows a brief period of silence for reflection on the past day.

Confession

All: We confess to God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, that we have sinned in thought, word and deed, through our own grievous fault. Wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us.

All: Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us all our sins and deliver us from all evil, confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to life everlasting; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto you pardon and remission of all your sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Versicles and Responses

℣. O God, make speed to save us. ℟. O Lord, make haste to help us.

℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; ℟. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

℣. Praise ye the Lord. ℟. The Lord's name be praised.

Hymn

All: Before the ending of the day, Creator of the world we pray, That with thy wonted favour thou Wouldst be our guard and keeper now.

From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies; Tread underfoot our ghostly foe, That no pollution we may know.

O Father, that we ask be done, Through Jesus Christ, thine only Son; Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee, Doth live and reign eternally.

Amen.

Please sit.

Antiphon

This is sung by the Choir only.

Have mercy upon me, O God; and hearken unto my prayer.

Psalmody

One or more of the following Psalms are sung.

Psalm 4

  1. Hear me when I call, O God of my right-eousness: thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble; have mercy upon me, and hearken un-to my prayer.

  2. O ye sons of men, how long will ye blaspheme mine hon-our: and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek af-ter leasing?

  3. Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is god-ly: when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.

  4. Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart, and in your cham-ber, and be still.

  5. Offer the sacrifice of right-eousness: and put your trust in the Lord.

  6. There be many that say: Who will shew us any good?

  7. Lord, lift thou up: the light of thy counte-nance upon us.

  8. Thou hast put gladness in my heart: since the time that their corn, and wine, and oil in-creased.

  9. I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest: for it is thou Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be: world with-out end. Amen.

Psalm 91

  1. Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High: shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

  2. I will say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my strong-hold: my God, in him will I trust.

  3. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hun-ter: and from the nois-ome pestilence.

  4. He shall defend thee under his wings, and thou shalt be safe under his feath-ers: his faithfulness and truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

  5. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night: nor for the arrow that fli-eth by day;

  6. For the pestilence that walketh in dark-ness: nor for the sickness that destroyeth in the noonday.

  7. A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.

  8. Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou be-hold: and see the reward of the ungodly.

  9. For thou, Lord, art my hope: thou hast set thine house of de-fënce very high.

  10. There shall no evil happen unto thee: neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

  11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways.

  12. They shall bear thee in their hands: that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.

  13. Thou shalt go upon the lion and ad-der: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou tread un-der thy feet.

  14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I de-li-ver him: I will set him up, because he hath known my name.

  15. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him: yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.

  16. With long life will I satis-fy him: and shew him my salvation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be: world with-out end. Amen.

Psalm 134

  1. Behold now, praise the Lord: all ye ser-vants of the Lord;

  2. Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord: even in the courts of the house of our God.

  3. Lift up your hands in the sanctu-a-ry: ä-nd praise the Lord.

  4. The Lord that made heaven and earth: give thee blessing out of Sion.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be: world with-out end. Amen.

Antiphon

Have mercy upon me, O God; and hearken unto my prayer.

Scripture Reading

Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not, O Lord our God.

Jeremiah 14. 9

This is the word of the Lord.

All: Thanks be to God.

During the seasons of the year, one of the following readings may be used instead.

Advent

Keep awake – for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.

Mark 13. 35-end

Christmas

In him was life and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it.

John 1. 4,5

Epiphany

The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all.

Titus 2. 11

Lent

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Isaiah 58. 6,7

Passiontide

I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that, when they look on the one whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.

Zechariah 12. 10

Easter

The servants of the Lamb shall see the face of God, whose name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever.

Revelation 22. 4, 5

Pentecost

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy. The old shall dream dreams and the young shall see visions.

Joel 2. 28

From All Saints to Christ the King

The one who endures to the end will be saved. And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations.

Matthew 24. 13, 14a

Please stand.

Responsory

℣. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my Spirit. ℟. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my Spirit.

℣. Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth. ℟. I commend my Spirit.

℣. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. ℟. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my Spirit.

Antiphon

Sung by the Choir only.

Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Nunc Dimittis

  1. Lord, now lettest thou thy ser-vant depart in peace: according to thy word.

  2. For mine eyes have seen: thy sal-vation;

  3. Which thou hast pre-par-ed: before the face of all people;

  4. To be a light to light-en the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy peo-ple Isra-el.

Glory be to the Fa-ther and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning is now and ev-er shall be: world without end. Amen.

Antiphon

All: Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Please kneel.

Prayers

Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.

All: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Amen.

℣. Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us; ℟. That thy people may rejoice in thee.

℣. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; ℟. And grant us thy salvation.

℣. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to keep us this night without sin: ℟. O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

℣. O Lord, hear our prayer. ℟. And let our cry come unto thee.

Let us pray.

Collects

One or more of these collects is sung:

Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this place, and drive far from it all the snares of the enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace; and may thy blessing be upon us evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who at this evening hour didst rest in the sepulchre, and didst thereby sanctify the grave to be a bed of hope to thy people: make us so to abound in sorrow for our sins, which were the cause of thy passion, that when our bodies lie in the dust, our souls may live with thee; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.

All: Amen.

Look down, O Lord, from thy heavenly throne, illuminate the darkness of this night with thy celestial brightness, and from the children of light banish the deeds of darkness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the silent hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this fleeting world, may repose upon thy eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

℣. We will lay us down in peace and take our rest; ℟. For it is thou Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety.

℣. The Lord be with you. ℟. And with thy spirit.

℣. Let us bless the Lord. ℟. Thanks be to God.

May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

All: Amen.

Final Anthem to Our Lady

One of the following anthems is sung as the altar is prepared for Benediction.

Alma Redemptoris Mater

(Advent to Candlemas)

Mother of Christ, hear thou thy people's cry, Star of the deep and portal of the sky! Mother of Him, who thee from nothing made, sinking we strive and call to thee for aid: Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee, Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.

Salve Regina

(Ordinary time)

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

Ave, Regina caelorum

(Candlemas to Holy Week)

Hail, Queen of Heaven, beyond compare to whom the angels homage pay; hail, Root of Jesse, Gate of light, that opened for the world's new day.

Rejoice, O Virgin unsurpassed, in whom our ransom was begun, for all your loving children pray to Christ, our Saviour, and your Son.

Regina Caeli

(Eastertide)

Joy to thee, O Queen of Heaven. Alleluia! He whom thou wast meet to bear. Alleluia! As he promised hath arisen. Alleluia! Pour for us to God thy prayer. Alleluia!

Devotions before the Blessed Sacrament

Please kneel when the bell is rung, and remain kneeling throughout.

After the Sacrament has been placed on the altar:

All: O Saving Victim, opening wide The gates of heaven to man below: Our foes press hard on every side; Thine aid supply, thy strength bestow.

All praise and thanks to thee ascend For evermore, blest One in Three; O grant us life that shall not end In our true native land with thee.

St Thomas Aquinas (1227–1274) Tr L M Neale (1818–1866)

The priest leads a meditation which is followed by a Motet sung by the choir (or a Hymn). We then say together the

Agnus Dei

All: O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.

O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.

Then follows:

All: Therefore we, before him bending, This great Sacrament revere. Types and shadows have their ending, For the newer rite is here. Faith, our outward sense befriending, Makes the inward vision clear.

Glory let us give and blessing To the Father and the Son, Honour, might and praise addressing While eternal ages run, Ever too his love confessing, Who from both, with both is one.

St Thomas Aquinas (1227–1274) Tr L M Neale (1818–1866)

Thou gavest them bread from heaven (alleluia).

All: Containing in itself all sweetness (alleluia).

Prayer

Let us pray.

Blessed Lord, who in this wonderful Sacrament has left unto us a memorial of thy Cross and Passion; grant us, we beseech thee, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruits of thy redemption; who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.

All: Amen.

The Priest gives a blessing with the Blessed Sacrament.

Divine Praises

The congregation repeats each phrase of the Divine Praises after the priest.

All: Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, truly divine and truly human. Blessed be the Name of Jesus. Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart. Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Blessed be God the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Blessed be the Great Mother of God, Mary most Holy. Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother. Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.

The Sacrament is replaced in the tabernacle during the hymn:

All: Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast, Body of Christ, be thou my saving guest. Blood of my Saviour, bathe me in thy tide, Wash me with water flowing from thy side.

Strength and protection may thy passion be; O blessed Jesu, hear and answer me; Deep in thy wounds, Lord, hide and shelter me, So shall I never, never part from thee.

Guard and defend me from the foe malign, In death's dread moments make me only thine; Call me, and bid me come to thee on high, Where I may praise thee with thy saints for aye.

Latin 14th Century

All depart in silence.

Southwark Cathedral London Bridge London SE1 9DA 020 7367 6700 southwarkcathedral.org.uk

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which is included in this service, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000.

All songs covered by the Christian Copyright Licensing have been reproduced under CCL licence no. 223439.

The Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches in the USA: Scripture quotations from The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible © 1989 The Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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