Evensong (Evening Prayer)

Now, ere day fadeth quite,
We see the evening light
(from the ancient Greek hymn Φῶς ἱλαρὸν)

Evening Prayer is offered every day in LSM at 6pm.

It is a short service of psalms, canticles, readings and prayers based upon the monastic offices of Vespers and Compline.

On Sundays this takes the form of a sung service, Solemn Evensong (according to the Book of Common Prayer). On certain special days we are joined by the choir; otherwise, Sunday by Sunday, the singing is led by a cantor and organist.

Copies of the Psalms and Canticles, with plainsong notation for the Gregorian tones, are provided for members of the congregation at Solemn Evensong. The full psalter can be found in the Manual of Plainsong prepared by Henry Bremridge Briggs & Walter Howard Frere CR (later Bishop of Truro) in 1902 and transcribed in a modern PDF version by David Stone, a member of LSM.  The same version is used for the plainsong Psalms at Sung Masses.

The order of Evensong concludes with a brief homily and the short, contemplative service of Benediction follows on. Evensong, sermon and Benediction all together last around an hour.