Although Christmas carols as we all know and sing them right now didn’t actually catch on till the mid-Nineteenth century, the primary ever festive lyrics to be set to music would seem up to now all the best way again to the fourth century. That is believed to be the oldest recognized Christmas carol.
The oldest Christmas carol
Christmas Day itself has been marked as a day of celebration within the calendar since 336 AD, and it’s within the a long time after this that the Christian poet Prudentius (348-405) wrote the hymn ‘Corde natus ex parentis’.
Who was Prudentius?
Prudentius – or Aurelius Prudentius Clemens, to offer him his full identify – was an influential Roman statesman who lived in northern Spain, the place he practised legislation and was regional governor. He turned his consideration totally in the direction of Christianity in the direction of the tip of his life, writing and gathering hymns.
And in case you have a bent for Latin, you’ll have already noticed that Prudentius’s phrases nonetheless seem in carol providers right now – ‘Corde natus ex parentis’ interprets (roughly) as ‘Of the Father’s coronary heart begotten’.
You’ll find lyrics to your favorite Christmas carols. Additionally take a look at our articles on the greatest Christmas songs ever, and the greatest Christmas songs for kids.
