December 20, 2019 (Friday)
The hymn, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” or “Adeste Fidelis,” the Latin title, may date back to the 13th Century; if so it is at least 800 years old.
The author of the words is unknown, although it was probably the English hymn writer, John Francis Wade. The earliest printed version appeared in 1750.
It is a popular song at Christmas and we often hear the Latin version presented by various artists:
Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte Regem angelorum.
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Venite adoremus
Dominum.
Of course, most of us prefer the English version:
Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him
Born the King of Angels:
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.
The song has been translated into at least 125 languages the world over and is a favorite carol. It is no doubt based upon the experience of the shepherds who were told by angels of the birth and came to worship him (Luke 2:17-18 NIV): “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”