The Story of Silent Night

Walk into any public square or shopping mall at this time of year and an encounter with a traditional Christmas carol is well-nigh unavoidable. We may not sing them ourselves with anything like the frequency or fervor we once did at church but the tunes themselves defy relegation to our past.

Choristers from the Salisbury Cathedral Choir practice ahead of the services held in the Cathedral marking Christmas Eve in Salisbury, England, on Dec. 23, 2009. Christmas has been celebrated in the cathedral for over 750 years since it was dedicated in 1258. It is thought that the foundation of the choir stretches back even further, with evidence of a song school in Salisbury as early as the 11th century. Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Walk into any public square or shopping mall at this time of year and an encounter with a traditional Christmas carol is well-nigh unavoidable. We may not sing them ourselves with anything like the frequency or fervor we once did at church but the tunes themselves defy relegation to our past.

One of the most ubiquitous is the carol “Silent Night” (originally “Stille Nacht”) by Joseph Mohr (1792–1848) and Franz Gruber (1787–1863). It’s estimated that its lyrics alone have been translated into at least 140 languages. On more than one occasion in both world wars, fighting at Christmas was brought to a temporary close by troops singing their native versions of “Silent Night” to one another across the front line.

On more than one occasion in both world wars, fighting at Christmas was brought to a temporary close by troops singing their native versions of 'Silent Night' to one another across the front line.