Compline

During Holy Week, join us at Bristol Cathedral for Compline, a contemplative, candlelit service traditionally sung at the close of the day in religious communities. These services offer a peaceful space for prayer, reflection, and music as we journey through the final days of Holy Week together.

Each evening begins with a short reflection led by the Dean, followed by music offered by the Cathedral Lay Clerks, before the service of Compline itself.

Monday – “Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs”
Exploring the earliest theologies of worship, from the singing of psalms in the time of Jesus to the formation of the first Christian hymns.

Tuesday – “The music of the spheres”
Reflecting on how the early Church Fathers understood music as part of the ordered harmony of creation, drawing on Platonic ideas to deepen our understanding of music in worship.

Wednesday – “Many voices, one God”
An introduction to polyphony, culminating in a performance of one of the greatest examples of this rich musical tradition, the Lamentations of Jeremiah by Thomas Tallis.