Angels, the news has come to us

Angels, the news came to us ( French: Les Anges dans nos campagnes ) - a French Christmas song.

Very little is known about the anthem "Angels, the news has come to us". This is the most famous of the French Christmas songs. It was always printed without the authors' instructions. It is believed that its roots date back to 129 AD, when Telesphor , Bishop of Rome decided to perform the Christmas carol in the church. Over time, this particular hymn turned into a folk song, which was sung in France in the 18th century. According to legend, the French shepherds, day and night herding herds on the hills in the south of France, established such a Christmas tradition: on the evening before Christmas, they exclaimed from the hill to the hill: “Glory to God in the highest!” Transmitting to each other the message about the Nativity of Christ .

However, such an origin is unlikely. It is unlikely that the song could live almost 2 millennia, passed from mouth to mouth. In addition, her melody clearly indicates writing in a more modern period. It is typical of French Christmas songs. In addition, there are no documents supporting this version.

Most likely, this hymn was written in the 18th century in France. For the first time his melody with text was published in 1855 . But by 1816 , he became famous in England . It was he who inspired the writing of another anthem - " Angels from the Heights of Heaven ."

The most famous English translation of the anthem, “Angels, the news has come to us,” was made in 1862 by James Chadwick, rector of the Catholic College of Ashau in England, who later became bishop of Newcastle.

Most often, this hymn is sung to the melody Gloria, a folk tune arranged by the American composer and church organist Edward Barnes, who lived in the first half of the 20th century.

The most memorable part of this hymn is its refrain. “Glory to God in the highest” is the exclamation of the shepherds who came to worship Jesus Christ . In the French and English versions of the anthem, the Latin translation of these words is preserved: Gloria in Excelsis Deo. This expression itself is the name of a famous more ancient anthem. The same phrase is in the Latin text of the hymn " Come to the Baby ."

In 2005, this anthem was recognized as the Christmas Carol of the Year.