This song — “Silent Night, Holy Night” was originally written in German (Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht).
We’ve been singing this song but we rarely knew the story behind this beloved Christmas song.
This is the unforgettable story behind this Christmas hymn…
Josef Mohr, a young Catholic priest arrived in Obendorf, Austria in 1818. He was assigned there as an assistant priest at the newly erected Church of St. Nicholas.
In the high Tyrolean Alps, Josef soon made dear friends among the local villagers.
He soon had a favorite acquaintance, Franz Gruber, the village schoolmaster and church organist. When these two men met they spent too much time talking about education, theology and music.
How the Story Began: Silent Night, Holy Night
As the Christmas was coming that year, these two gentlemen had been deeply sad that no one has ever been yet able to compose the perfect Christmas hymn.
It was a custom in the Alpine mountains to have a Nativity play before Christmas. A group of traveling players arrived in Obendorf for the Nativity presentation in the local Catholic church.
Unfortunately, the organ at the St. Nicholas church was being repaired. So the players could not perform the Nativity play in the church.
Fortunately, a local shop owner opened his home generously to the players. So the players were able to present and perform the Nativity play on the 23rd of December, as it was planned.
Josef Mohr was one of the attendees of that Nativity event. After the performance, he was inspired of the simplicity of the presentation. On his way home, he stopped at a favorite spot that overlooked the small village of Obendorf.
Josef was captivated by the beauty of the night, with the sparkling winter stars above, he was so inspired of the Christmas story.
When Josef got home, he lighted the lamp. As the lamp softly glowing, Josef wrote the the beautiful words of “Silent Night, Holy Night.” On this night, he wrote 3 stanzas with 6 lines of each.
The following morning Josef took his poem to the home of his friend, Franz Gruber. Josef handed his poem to Franz and said…
See if you can wed these words into a melody.
Franz replied…
Friend Mohr, you have found it — the right song — God be praised.
There was no way that the organ can be repaired on time for Midnight Mass on that Christmas Eve. So Gruber arranged the music for the guitar.
The Carol on Christmas Eve
On that evening at the Church service, Josef and Franz, sang the Silent Night, Holy Night” song. Josef sang the tenor voice and Franz sang the bass part and played the guitar as the accompaniment. There was also a choir of young girls who sang with them, repeated the last 2 lines of each stanza.
That night the Church of St. Nicholas was ever the first one to hear the hymn “Silent Night Holy Night.”
When the holidays was over, the organ repair man returned to finish in fixing the organ. He heard the song being sung and was captivated by the words and melody. He asked a copy of the song and took it to his home in Zillertal, just about 8 miles away.
Soon this lovely Christmas hymn was included in concerts through out Austria and Germany. It was known as Tyrolean Folk song of unknown origin.
In 1839, this beloved hymn was first performed in the United States by a visiting group of Austrian singers.
Then the melodious carol was translated not only into English, but into several languages as well. It has become the best-loved Christmas carol of all time.
Josef and Franz had never intended for their carol to become famous. Unknowingly, they had fulfilled their hope of discovering “the perfect Christmas hymn.”
Source: Hymns of Faith and Inspiration, p. 132, 133
Lyrics:
1 Silent night, holy night!
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.
2 Silent night, holy night!
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!
3 Silent night, holy night!
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.
Videos: “Silent Night Holy Night” with Lyrics
Sing along as you watch the following “Silent Night Holy Night” videos. Lyrics are included.
As we celebrate Christmas let us contemplate the greatest love from our Heavenly Father.
Our loving Father gave us His only begotten Son who sacrificed His life for us so that we can have a FREE salvation and eternal life.
