Evening prayer: Catholic prayers for the night
In the evening the Christian places the day in God’s hands. Here is the evening prayer of 1865 with the examination of conscience and the act of contrition, together with Compline and short prayers for the night.
When the day comes to rest, one question remains: what was good today, and where have I failed? Catholic night prayer places this question before God. It gives thanks for the day, examines the conscience, makes an act of contrition and commends body and soul to the Lord’s protection for the night. This guide presents the evening prayer from the German edition of the Raccolta of 1865 part by part, shows the examination of conscience step by step, gives the act of contrition in full and explains Compline, the night prayer of the Church.
- Evening prayer is the personal prayer at the close of the day: thanksgiving, examination of conscience, contrition with a firm purpose of amendment and a petition for protection during the night.
- According to the Council of Trent, contrition is sorrow of soul and detestation of the sin committed, with the resolution not to sin again (Session 14, chapter 4).
- The night prayer of the Church is Compline. Under the rubrics of 1960 it has a moment for the examination of conscience before the confession of sins.
- Short prayers for the night are “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit” and the invocation “Jesus, Joseph and Mary”.
What belongs to a Catholic evening prayer?
A Catholic evening prayer includes thanksgiving for the day that is past, a petition for light, the examination of conscience with contrition and a firm purpose of amendment, the three theological virtues of faith, hope and charity, a petition for protection during the night and commendation to Our Lady and the Guardian Angel.
This is the structure of the evening prayer in the appendix to the collection of prayers that Michael Haringer translated from the Italian, here in the second edition of 1865. It is the German edition of the Raccolta, the collection of indulgenced prayers; its translation bears the note of the Roman Congregation of Indulgences declaring it the only authentic one. St Basil the Great had already described the core: thanksgiving, confession and a plea for forgiveness before the night begins. He appeals to the fourth psalm, which under the rubrics of 1960 is sung at Compline on Sunday.
“When the day is completed, we must give thanks for everything that has been given us during it and every good thing that has befallen us; what we have neglected we must confess in humility; if we have sinned, we must ask God for forgiveness. That is why David says: The things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.”
St Basil the Great, quoted from: Das römische Brevier in deutscher Sprache (The Roman Breviary in German), edited by Ferdinand Janner, winter part, Regensburg 1890, preface p. V; Ps 4:5 (translated from the German)
How do you make an examination of conscience in the evening?
An examination of conscience in the evening begins by asking God for light. Then you go through the day, thoughts, words and deeds, pay particular attention to your predominant fault, make an act of sorrow for your sins and form a firm purpose of amendment.
The evening prayer of 1865 puts it briefly: “Here the examination of conscience is to follow, with contrition and sorrow for the sins committed, together with the firm purpose of amendment, especially as regards the predominant fault” (translated from the German). In the morning prayer of the same collection one resolves to avoid the fault into which one falls most often; in the evening one examines how far this has succeeded. The order in five steps:
- Ask for light: “My God, before whom the hearts of all men lie open, and from whom even the most secret thoughts are not hidden, enlighten me, that I may recognise all the sins and faults I have committed today …” (p. 63, translated from the German)
- Go through the day: in thought, in word, in deed, as the confession of sins at Compline names them.
- Pay attention to the predominant fault: how has the morning’s resolution gone?
- Make an act of contrition and sorrow: not only out of fear of punishment, but out of love for God, whom one has offended.
- Resolve, with the grace of God, to avoid sin and its occasion.
The Church has taken this silent examination into her own night prayer. In the Breviary under the rubrics of 1960, at the beginning of Compline and before the confession of sins, stands the direction Examen conscientiae vel Pater Noster totum secreto: an examination of conscience, or an Our Father prayed in silence.
What are the words of the act of contrition in evening prayer?
The traditional act of contrition unites love and sorrow: “My God, because thou art the highest and most perfect good and infinitely worthy of love, therefore I love thee with my whole heart above all things, and repent of all my sins …” Resolutions follow: never to offend God again and to receive the sacraments.
My God, because thou art the highest and most perfect good and infinitely worthy of love, therefore I love thee with my whole heart above all things, and repent of all my sins, because by them I have offended thee, the highest good, my Creator and Lord, my best and most loving Father, my Redeemer and Sanctifier. I am heartily sorry for them, and with thy grace, which I beg of thee now and for ever, I resolve rather to die than to offend thee again. I resolve also to receive the holy sacraments in life and in death.
Evening prayer, from: Sammlung von Gebeten und frommen Werken, translated by Michael Haringer, 2nd edition, Regensburg 1865, second appendix, p. 65 (translated from the German)
The Council of Trent defines contrition as sorrow of soul and detestation of the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin in future: animi dolor ac detestatio est de peccato commisso, cum proposito non peccandi de cetero. When this contrition is made perfect by charity, it reconciles man with God even before the reception of the sacrament of Penance, but not without the desire for the sacrament which is included in it. It fits well, then, that the act of contrition closes with the resolution to receive the holy sacraments in life and in death.
Before the act of contrition the evening prayer of 1865 makes the acts of faith and hope; the act of contrition is at the same time the act of charity. Whoever notices a grave sin in the evening makes an act of perfect contrition and confesses the sin at the next holy confession.
What is Compline?
Compline is the night prayer of the Church, the last of the Hours of the Breviary. It begins with the petition for a quiet night and contains the confession of sins, psalms, the hymn Te lucis ante terminum and the Canticle of Simeon, ending with an antiphon of Our Lady.
Its Latin name is completorium; according to the preface of the German Breviary of 1890, the hours of prayer of the day were completed with Compline. According to St Basil, it should ask that the rest of the night be free from offence, disturbance and fault; that is why Psalm 90 belongs to it. On Sunday, under the rubrics of 1960, Psalms 4, 90 and 133 are said. The short responsory prays the psalm verse which the Saviour spoke on the Cross: In manus tuas (Ps 30:6; Lk 23:46). The 1917 Code prescribes the daily recitation of the Breviary for clerics in major orders (can. 135); lay people may join in Compline voluntarily.
Noctem quietam et finem perfectum concedat nobis Dominus omnipotens. Amen.
In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum.
Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes, custodi nos dormientes; ut vigilemus cum Christo, et requiescamus in pace.
Visita, quaesumus, Domine, habitationem istam, et omnes insidias inimici ab ea longe repelle: Angeli tui sancti habitent in ea, qui nos in pace custodiant; et benedictio tua sit super nos semper. Per Dominum nostrum.May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen.
Latin from the Breviarium Romanum (Divinum Officium, rubrics of 1960). English: our translation from the Latin; German edition: Janner, Das römische Brevier in deutscher Sprache, winter part, Regensburg 1890, pp. 143 to 147.
Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.
Save us, O Lord, while we are awake, and guard us while we sleep, that we may watch with Christ and rest in peace.
Visit, we beseech thee, O Lord, this dwelling, and drive far from it all the snares of the enemy; let thy holy angels dwell herein to keep us in peace, and may thy blessing be upon us always. Through our Lord Jesus Christ …
The collect Visita, quaesumus also appears, in a different translation, in the evening prayer of 1865, shortly after the act of contrition: “We beseech thee, O Lord, that thou wouldst visit this dwelling …” (translated from the German). There it is the petition for God’s protection over one’s own home. Before it, so the direction runs, “one may sign oneself with the holy Sign of the Cross and sprinkle oneself with holy water, if one has some at hand”.
Which short prayers are suitable for the night?
Short prayers for the night are the words from Compline, “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit”, the antiphon Salva nos for protection while waking and sleeping, the threefold invocation “Jesus, Joseph and Mary” and the prayer to the Guardian Angel. They are also suitable as bedtime prayers for children.
O my sweetest Jesus, graciously preserve me this night from all evil and from all sin. Into thy most holy five wounds I commend my soul. […]
Jesus, Joseph and Mary, I give you my heart and my soul.
Jesus, Joseph and Mary, assist me in my last agony.
Jesus, Joseph and Mary, may my soul depart in peace with you.Angele Dei, qui custos es mei, me tibi commissum pietate superna hac nocte illumina, custodi, rege et guberna. Amen.
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
The first prayers translated from the German after Haringer, Sammlung von Gebeten, 1865, second appendix, pp. 66 f.; the Angel of God in the traditional English form for the night. Latin after Preces et pia opera, Vatican 1952, no. 402, in the form for the night; the German version of 1865 does not have this addition.
Pope Pius VII granted an indulgence for the three invocations to the Holy Family on 28 April 1807; in 1893 Franz Beringer still records 300 days for all three and 100 days for each one.
The collection Preces et pia opera of 1952 gives the state of 1952 (no. 636): seven years for each invocation and a plenary indulgence for saying one of them daily for a month, under the usual conditions: confession, Communion, a visit to a church and prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father. It also confirms the order “Jesus, Joseph and Mary”. In the 1952 collection the prayer to the Guardian Angel has its own form for the night: hac nocte, this night.
Why do we think of death in evening prayer?
In evening prayer we think of death because every night is a reminder of the last one. The evening prayer of 1865 says simply: “I must die one day, and know not when, how or where.” Compline, too, asks not only for a quiet night but for a perfect end.
This thought is not meant to frighten, but to make ready. Whoever has examined his conscience in the evening, repented and entrusted himself to God, lies down to sleep in peace. That is why, directly after the sentence about death, the evening prayer places the three invocations of Jesus, Joseph and Mary, which Beringer lists as ejaculations for obtaining a good death.
A quiet companion for evening prayer is our lava stone rosary, handmade on black cord: matt black lava stone beads of 8 mm, Our Father beads of matt obsidian of 10 mm, a Miraculous Medal as the centrepiece and a St Benedict cross in silver and black. It is 55 cm long.
Every lava stone bead is unique, so no two rosaries are alike. You will find further models among our rosaries with stone beads.
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Rosary with lava stone beads, black/anthracite
Handmade on black cord, with lava stone, obsidian and a St Benedict cross.
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Frequently asked questions about evening prayer
What should I do if I become aware of a grave sin in the evening?
Whoever recognises a grave sin in the evening at once makes an act of perfect contrition out of love for God, with the resolution to go to confession. According to the Council of Trent, it reconciles with God, but includes the desire for the sacrament of Penance. With a grave sin one may go to Holy Communion, despite contrition, only after confession, except in urgent necessity when no confessor can be reached (CIC 1917, can. 856).
Why do we use holy water in the evening?
Holy water is one of the sacramentals through which the Church, by virtue of her intercession, obtains effects that are chiefly spiritual (CIC 1917, can. 1144). The evening prayer of 1865 recommends signing oneself with the Sign of the Cross after the act of contrition and sprinkling oneself with holy water, if one has some at hand.
Which bedtime prayer is suitable for children?
A good bedtime prayer for children is the prayer to the Guardian Angel, which is short and easy to learn by heart. With it go the Sign of the Cross, whose words are given in our Rosary prayer guide, and a glance at the cross on the wall.
Do lay people have to pray Compline?
Compline is not prescribed for lay people. Under the 1917 Code, the daily recitation of the Breviary is an obligation of clerics in major orders (can. 135). Whoever joins in Compline voluntarily unites himself with the night prayer of the Church.
- Sammlung von Gebeten und frommen Werken, für welche die Päpste heilige Ablässe verliehen haben (German edition of the Raccolta), ed. Aloysius Prinzivalli, translated by Michael Haringer, 2nd edition, Regensburg 1865, second appendix, pp. 63 to 67 (evening prayer). archive.org
- Das römische Brevier in deutscher Sprache, edited by Ferdinand Janner, winter part, Regensburg 1890, preface pp. V to VII and Compline pp. 143 to 147. archive.org
- Breviarium Romanum, Completorium under the rubrics of 1960, from the text of Divinum Officium.
- Council of Trent, Session 14 (1551), Doctrine on the Sacrament of Penance, chapter 4, after Denzinger, Enchiridion symbolorum, 11th edition, Freiburg 1911, no. 897 f. archive.org
- Codex Iuris Canonici of 1917, can. 135, can. 856 and can. 1144. codex-iuris-canonici.de
- Franz Beringer: Die Ablässe, ihr Wesen und Gebrauch (Indulgences, their nature and use), 10th edition, Paderborn 1893, nos. 15 and 16, p. 114. archive.org
- Preces et pia opera, Vatican 1952, no. 402 (Angele Dei) and no. 636 (Jesus, Joseph and Mary). archive.org
Last checked: 19 October 2026.
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