Many of the Christmas carols we love to sing today were composed within the last couple of hundred years. “Silent Night,” for example, was composed in 1818 in Austria, in German, before being translated into English in 1859. “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” originated in 1849 as a poem in England. The origin of “O Come All Ye Faithful” (in Latin, “Adeste Fidelis”) is debated but likely emerged sometime in the Middle Ages before being translated into English around 1841.

So what is the oldest Christmas carol?

Looking at Scripture, we might say that the first recorded Christmas carol is the hymn of the angels proclaiming the birth of Christ to the shepherds of Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Lk 2:14) While the words “Glory to God in the highest” eventually became a regular part of the liturgy (the Gloria is sung each Sunday outside Advent and Lent and on major feasts), they are no longer specifically or solely connected to Christmas, having been used now as a general song in praise of God at various times of the Church’s liturgical year.

The earliest Christmas hymn that we can trace comes from Saint Hilary of Poitiers in the fourth century. Saint Hilary was bishop of Poitiers, France, from 353-67. He is a doctor of the Church and is regarded as the “Athanasius of the West.” Like Saint Athanasius, Saint Hilary wrote extensively in defense of the Church’s faith in the divinity of Christ against Arianism. During his lifetime, he penned a hymn, known in Latin as Jesus Refulsit Omnium (“Jesus Light of All Nations”). While the original music has been lost to history, the lyrics have been preserved. Translated into English, the Latin text reads:

Jesus, devoted redeemer of all nations, has shone forth,

Let the whole family of the faithful celebrate the stories.

The shining star, gleaming in the heavens, makes him known at his birth and, going before, has led the Magi to his cradle.

Falling down, they adore the tiny baby hidden in rags,

as they bear witness to the true God by bringing a mystical gift.

Modern musical settings for this hymn can be found online. Take a listen!