Cantique de Noël/Minuit, Chrétiens (O, Holy Night) from Family Christmas Online^TM

Placide Cappeau (1808-1877) was a one-handed French businessman who, among other endeavors, managed wine shipments and wrote poems as a hobby. For a time, he was also mayor of the French town of Roquemaure, which sometimes causes Cappeau's name to be given as Cappeau de Roquemaure. Cappeau's name for these verses was "Cantique de Noël," literally "Song of Christmas." The French song, like its English translation, is sometimes called by its first line. In French that is: "Minuit, Chrétiens," which literally means "Midnight, Christians."

The tune was written by classical French composer Adolphe Charles Adam (1803-1856). One account has it that Adam was a friend of a friend of Cappeau and that he wrote the tune in time for the Roquemaure Parish's Midnight Mass in 1847. At first some clergy in France claimed that they didn't think the song was was "religious" enough for use in services, it's possible that the church hierarchy was objecting more to the song's authors (a free-thinking wine merchant and and a composer of popular music.)

The English words on this page were written by American Unitarian clergyman John S. Dwight (1812-1893). We know that some English translations had appeared by 1855, but not everyone is comfortable with assigning Dwight's translation that early. We do know that Dwight, like Cappeau, was fiercely opposed to slavery. This passion finds its way into Dwight's lines "Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother, and in His name, all oppression shall cease." The next time you sing those lines remember that as Dwight composed them that demands for abolition from the North were getting louder every day, as were threats of succession from the South.

We have left out a second verse that is seldom sung in English.

French Text

Minuit, chrétiens,
C’est l’heure solennelle
Où l’Homme Dieu descendit jusqu’à nous
Pour effacer la tache originelle
Et de Son Père arrêter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille d’espérance
En cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
Peuple à genoux,
Attends ta délivrance!
Noël! Noël!
Voici le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël!
Voici le Rédempteur!

Le Rédempteur
A brisé toute entrave:
La terre est libre et le ciel est ouvert.
Il voit un Frère où n’était qu’un esclave;
L’amour unit ceux qu’enchaˆnait le fer.
Qui Lui dira notre reconnaissance?
C’est pour nous tous qu’Il naˆt,
Qu’Il souffre et meurt.
Peuple debout,
Chante ta délivrance!
Noël! Noël!
Chantons le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël!
Chantons le Rédempteur!

English

Oh holy night!
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees
Oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine
Oh night when Christ was born
Oh night divine
Oh night divine

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His name all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

If you have any corrections or comments you would like to make about this page, please contact me and I will be glad to hear from you. God bless - Paul