Christmas Hymn: Silent Night
Christmas Hymn: Silent Night
Imagine having a new church building and preparing to host the Christmas Eve service and discovering that the church organ was broken. Such was the case for the assistant priest, Joseph Mohr as he prepared for the service at the Church of St. Nicolas in Oberndorf, near Salzburg, Austria. He quickly wrote the words for this hymn and took them to Franz Gruber, the church organist and village schoolmaster. Franz was also a guitar player, and composed the simple tune. That night, December 24, 1818, ‘Silent Night’ was sung for the first time with Joseph and Franz singing to the accompaniment of Gruber’s guitar. It would later become a favorite Christmas carol, even being performed in front of the king and queen of Austria.
This song has been sung as a lullaby and as a song to inspire peace and comfort.
YOUTUBE:
All is calm, all is bright
‘Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heav’nly hosts sing “alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born!
Christ, the Savior, is born!”
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.