Compline by Candlelight
Sundays; 8–8:30pm in St. Paul’s Chapel
The Choir of Trinity Wall Street; Thomas McCargar, director
Compline means "completion" and is an ancient rite of prayers to end the day. Providing peace and stillness as one week ends and another begins, Trinity's 30-minute Compline service is unique in that all who enter are asked to simply hold a candle as the The Choir of Trinity Wall Street beautifully improvises these nighttime prayers in song.
Compline takes place in-person at historic St. Paul's Chapel (209 Broadway at Fulton Street), and reservations are not required. Compline audio podcasts are also released every Sunday on our website, Facebook, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and other podcast apps. Listen to the latest episodes below.
Compline Service Details
Compline by Candlelight provides peace and stillness as one week ends and another begins. There’s nothing to do but listen, breathe, and be.
A Closer Look at Compline
In this video, choir member Jonathan Woody takes you inside Compline by Candlelight, a 30-minute Sunday evening service with improvised choral music.
Worship Services
Worship is at the center of life at Trinity Church Wall Street. Sunday services are held online and in person at Trinity Church and St. Paul's Chapel. Weekday services are held online and in person at Trinity Church. Whether you are a lifelong Episcopalian, from another faith tradition, exploring your faith, or just visiting, you are welcome to join us in worship.
Recent Recordings
Compline By Candlelight
October 9, 2016
Compline is an ancient half-hour candlelit service featuring the Trinity Choir. “These are the church’s bedtime prayers, and they mark that transition from day into night,” explains the Rev. Daniel Simons, priest for liturgy and pilgrimage. “We pray Compline on Sunday evening as a transition before the beginning of the week, as a way to reflect, renew, and refresh.”
A New Spin on an Ancient Rite
June 13, 2016
Compline, the final service of the day in the monastic tradition, is sung at St. Paul’s Chapel at 8pm on Sunday evenings. Over the past five years...
Compline by Candlelight - From the Archives
Feb. 21, 2021 - Compline by Candlelight podcasts provide peace and stillness as one week ends and another begins. Enjoy this episode from the archives, recorded November 11, 2018 and featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff's Bogoroditse Devo.
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