Description
Midnight Christians
What does a heretic, anti-Semitism, a song banned by the church, and an American abolitionist have to do with a Christmas hymn? Let me tell you about how this unlikely combination led to one of our most beloved Christmas songs.
In the small town of Roquemaure, France in 1816, young Placide Cappeau and his friend were playing with a forbidden item – a gun. The fun ended when his friend accidently shot him, resulting in Placide’s right hand being amputated. Not letting this disability define him, Placid followed academic pursuits and studied drawing, literature, and earned a law degree at a Paris university. Returning to his home in Roquemaure, he became a successful wine merchant and mayor, with the hobby of writing poetry.
Though born and raised as a Roman Catholic, he drifted from his religious roots, rarely attending mass and even vocally criticizing some tenants of the faith and clergy in general. It must have been a surprise to Placide Cappeau in 1847 when the priest asked him to write a poem for the Christmas Midnight Mass. On December 3rd, during a long, bumpy journey by coach to Paris, he read Luke 2 in the New Testament and used it as the framework to base his poem. By the time he arrived at his destination, the verses were complete. He titled it “Minuit, Chretiens”, which translated means “Midnight Christians”.
Moved by his finished product, and with the encouragement of the priest, the poet turned to his friend, composer Adophe Charles Adams, to write the music. Adams had many theatrical successes, including writing the musical scores for many operas and for the ballet Giselle. The subject matter and writing style presented him with a challenge unlike any he had before. Adams spent three weeks perfecting the beautiful piece of music. It was first performed by a female opera singer on Christmas Eve at the church in Roquemaure. The congregation loved the carol, and within a short time, it won the hearts of people all over France. The Catholic Church in France even endorsed its use in Christmas ceremonies.
Sadly, the Catholic church’s approval of the song did not last. Revolution was at the door and Cappeau declared himself a socialist, often disparaging church leadership and teachings. Adolph Adams worried observers by calling “Midnight Christians” a song of a religious revolution. Officials in the Catholic church called Placide Cappeau a socialist, drunk heretic, and an unfounded rumor circulated that Adolphe Adam was Jewish, a falsehood that was perpetuated for more than a century. Of course, accuracy didn’t concern the song’s critics who thought calling someone Jewish was an insult.
According to the church leaders, any song attributed to two such unsavory characters should be banned in churches. In fact, an 1864 sacred music journal focusing on Catholic liturgical music said, “it would be a good thing to discard this piece whose popularity is…unhealthy. It is sung in the streets, at social gatherings, and at bars with live entertainment. It becomes debased and degenerated…”. Yet, the song had entered the hearts of the people of France and was much loved, even though church authorities said it would not be tolerated in church worship.
“Midnight Christians” was imported across the Atlantic Ocean to Quebec, Canada, where it was considered a great honor to be asked to sing it in church services. In 1855, the song reached the ears of American Unitarian Minister John Sullivan Dwight. He decided to translate it into English, taking liberties in the text to align more with his own religious beliefs. This version of the lyrics, matched with Adam’s original music, became very popular in the United States – especially among northern abolitionists because of the lines in a verse which condemned slavery.
What is this incredible work – requested by a parish priest, written by a man branded as a heretic, composed by a musician who was subjected to anti-Semitism, and introduced to Americans to serve as a spotlight on the evils of slavery – all while telling the story of the birth of our Savior? This beloved, beautiful, inspired piece of music to celebrate the birth of our Savior is known today not as Minuit Chretiens, but as O Holy Night.
O 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 appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Chorus:
Fall on your knees,
Oh hear the angel voices!
Oh night divine!
Oh night when Christ was born.
Oh night, O holy night,
Oh night divine.
Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming;
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand:
So, led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men from Orient land,
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our friend;
Chorus:
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!
Chorus:
Christ is the Lord, then ever! Ever praise we!
His power and glory, evermore proclaim!
His power and glory, evermore proclaim!
This story was written by Jean Tonioli
Copyright Glenn Rawson 2022
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.