O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)

Year: 1751

Written By: John Francis Wade

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O Come All Ye Faithful, Joyful and triumphant are beginning verses that can be heard in churches, choirs, school plays and a variety of different places around the world during the holiday season. It is one of the most popular carols, especially among the religious, during the Christmas season.

O Come All Ye Faithful also known at times as Adeste Fideles is a hymn tune that is at times credited to an English hymnist by the name of John Francis Wade. It appeared in his work Cantus Diverse in 1751. The text is thought to have been written by John of Reading in the 13^th century. Neither of these has been proven and historians often dispute the claims of either of them. No one actually knows who wrote O Come All Ye Faithful. However, it is a well-loved carol to this day.

The original four verses have been extended to eight and it has been translated into many different languages over the centuries. The song tells of when Jesus was born and urges the Faithful to come to Bethlehem to worship and adore Christ, the king of ages. These lyrics and the moving music has give chill bumps to many who have heard or sang it since it was first heard many years ago.

Adeste Fideles became O Come All Ye Faithful when English Roman Catholic priest Fredrick Oakley and William Thomas Brooke translated it into English. It was included in the book Murray's Hymnal in 1852. The Latin version that I have included here has many similarities to the English version.

Adeste fideles laeti triumphantes,
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte Regem angelorum.
Venite adoremus (ter)
Dominum.

Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine,
Gestant puellae viscera.
Deum verum, genitum non factum.
Venite adoremus (ter)
Dominum.

Cantet nunc 'Io', chorus angelorum;
Cantet nunc aula caelestium,
Gloria! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Venite adoremus (ter)
Dominum.

Ergo qui natus die hodierna.
Jesu, tibi sit gloria,
Patris aeterni Verbum caro factum.
Venite adoremus (ter)
Dominum.

These verses are usually credited to John Francis Wade. A few artists have sand O Come All Ye Faithful over the years since it has been translated among them are the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the religious group Mary, Mary and Family, and Dale Warland. Quite a few country music stars have crooned the old favorite as well. However, it is mostly heard coming from carolers and churches during the holiday season.