Complin

Complin (Compline) is from the Latin completorium, complement, is given to this office because it is the prayer office said at the close of the day, or right before one goes to sleep.1 It has a rich history in the Church Catholic; especially in the Western Church (Rome), but there is also a similar office in the East (Eastern Orthodox). There is a difference between these two; it is that the Roman office of Complin is much more simple than the Eastern Apodeipnon, which is long and complicated.1 There is also an heritage of Complin in the Lutheran Tradition, since we formed out of the Roman Church. But in the Hymnals of American Lutherans Complin was void until 1969 when The Commission on Worship of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod released Worship Supplement '69.

Complin has a long and rich history, and should not be merely cast aside as it has in recent times. There is some contention about when Complin was first officially prayed as an office. Most say that it was around the fourth Century. Anything earlier than the fourth century would just be the saying of prayers before bed, and this would be the predecessor of Complin. St. Basil (c. 330-379) is credited with Complin"s early formation.1 St. Benedict (c. 480-543) was the Church Father which gave Complin its name and liturgical form in the West.2

This office differs from the others since it is chanted (said) at the end of the day. Also there is more rigidity in Complin than the other offices. This has been the case since The Rule of St. Benedict. In this document St. Benedict set out guidelines for how a Monk should live and pray, and other aspects of Monastic life. In here St. Benedict states what should be done during Compline, he writes, "Let Complin end with the saying of three psalms, which are to be said straight on without an antiphon, and after these the hymn for the same Hour, one lesson, the verse, Kyrie eleison, the blessing, and the collects."3 St. Benedict also states which three psalms these should be: "At Complin, however, let the same psalms be repeated every day; namely, the 4th, the 91st, and the 134th."3

This rigidity makes sense. Since Complin is the last office of the day it makes sense to keep it the same. To monks Complin is their nightly routine could be compared to our own nightly routines. They need to be the same to aid in calming before one turns in for the night. Finally, Complin is considered to be a low office therefore incense is not burned during it.
Sources:
1 The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04187a.htm
2 Fred L. Precht, ed., Lutheran Worship: History and Practice (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1993), 459-462.
3 St. Benedict of Nursia, The Rule of St. Benedict; Chapters XVII & XVIII, trans. Rev. Boniface Verheyen (Accessed online @ http://www.ccel.org/b/benedict/rule2/rule.html)