One of the most beautifully somber of the popular Christmas carols, Silent Night was composed in 1818 as the joint effort between an organist and a priest in the St. Nicholas parish church of Oberndorf, an Austrian Empire city on the Salzach River. The song traveled from the church to a group of traveling folk singers who performed it for Franz I of Austria and Alexander I of Russia. Continuing its journey, Silent Night reached the United States around 1839.
It was assumed to be the work of an esteemed composer and was sometimes attributed to Haydn, Beethoven, or Mozart. Today, it’s been translated into 140 languages from the original six verses. It wasn’t until 1995 that researchers stumbled upon a manuscript of the original composition forSilent Night, dated 1818, by Father Joseph Mohr and organist Franz Xaver Gruber. To this day, it remains unknown what inspired the young priest to write a new Christmas carol.
Lyrics
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
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born
Christ the Savior is born
Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth