Evening Prayer is a
liturgy in use in the
Anglican Communion (and other churches in the Anglican tradition, such as the
Continuing Anglican Movement and the
Anglican Use of the
Roman Catholic Church) and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening. It is also commonly known as
Evensong, especially (but not exclusively) when the office is rendered
chorally (that is, when most of the service is sung). It is roughly the equivalent of
Vespers in the
Roman Catholic Church and the
Lutheran churches, although it was originally formed by combining the monastic offices of Vespers and
Compline. Although many churches now take their services from
Common Worship or other modern prayer books, if a church has a choir, Choral Evensong from the
Book of Common Prayer often remains in use because of the greater musical provision. Evening Prayer, like
Morning Prayer (Matins) and in contrast to the
Eucharist, may be led by a layperson, and is recited by some devout Anglicans daily in private (clergy in many Anglican jurisdictions are required to do so).