“O Come, All Ye Faithful” (originally written in Latin as “Adeste Fideles“) is a Christmas carol that has been attributed to various authors, including John Francis Wade (1711–1786), John Reading (1645–1692), King John IV of Portugal (1604–1656), and anonymous Cistercian monks. The earliest printed version is in a book published by Wade.[1][2][3] A manuscript by Wade, dating to 1751, is held by Stonyhurst College in Lancashire.—https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Come,_All_Ye_Faithful
The lyrics are at the end of the blog and contain the words that many saw as restoring. The controversy of the song when it appeared in the 1740s, composed by John Francis Wade as Adeste Fideles, helped Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, a Catholic, to the British throne.
As we approach Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we look back to 1914 when the power of the song became extraordinary on these days as 100,000 British, Belgian, and French soldiers in the trenches on the Western Front laid down their arms to join the German soldiers in celebrating Christmas.
Christmas carols were being sung by one side, and then the other side would sing one of their carols. Then as O Come, All Ye Faithful began, everyone sang in their language together . The Germans sang the hymn in Latin words, Adeste Fideles.
In a terrible war, a few brief moments of peace stretched across 400 miles through France and Belgium. The echoes of songs of peace, hope, joy, and love brought blessings to the ears which could hear them. If only we could find in our hearts ways to listen to these messages long before we get to the point of the war, we would have no more.
The troubles of today can make us struggle and doubt. Through our faithfulness, we can find the light in the darkness to hold onto the strength we know we have been blessed with as we celebrate his birth. Gather together and hold onto the promise of understanding the blessings of Christmas.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
O 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
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation
O come, o come ye to Bethlehem
O 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
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful
O come, all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful to Bethlehem
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
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
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful
O come all ye faithful to Bethlehem