Father Joseph Mohr sat alone in a pew. The quiet of Christmas Eve morning surrounded him at the St. Nicholas Church, the parish church of Oberndorf, Austria. Since the church had been dedicated to the saint, the Catholic priest had always thought his church was special, but this Christmas Eve seemed rather disappointing. As the priest prepared for the upcoming Midnight Mass, he quietly prayed for heavenly peace. He had already finished his homily.
The day before, he had visited a sick child in the countryside. Though an ordinary baby, he reminded Father Joseph of the Christ child. He especially liked the scripture that taught people that whatever you did for one of the least of these then you did for Christ, especially caring for the sick. The innocence of the sick baby’s eyes made him see Jesus on the cold, wintry day. He prayed for healing and asked God to bless the family amid the snowy hillside.
Now, a day later, when he tried to play his church organ, he discovered a distorted sound came from the instrument. With a closer look behind the organ, it seemed like mice had chewed through the bellows that were used to supply the instrument with wind.
Although he tried to fix the bellows, the music was stilled. Water from the nearby Salzach River had flooded the church behind the organ and left its parts damaged and coated with ice. The organ was beyond immediate repair.
“How shall we manage now?” Father Joseph said. Memories of past beautiful Christmas services filled his head. If Midnight Mass was without music, he imagined the parishioners’ complaints. “It’s only hours until Christmas Eve service. How will we celebrate Christmas?”
He returned to his office and looked for rags to clean up the flood water and mice droppings in the sanctuary. Instead, he wished he was playing glorious carols on the organ in honor of the Savior’s birth. He had established a yearly tradition of sharing a new carol. His congregation would be downcast, especially the Strasser family, who were known for singing beautiful harmonies in the community.
“Maybe if I write a new song, Franz could play the guitar instead of the organ for the Christmas Eve Mass,” he wondered aloud. “Then, I could raise money with the Christmas Eve offering to buy a new organ for the church.”
As he made his way back into his office, he considered the sickly baby he had met just yesterday. He dipped his pen in ink and scribbled lyrics onto a crumpled piece of paper. His hands trembled as he wrote out the words. Excitement stirred inside him.
The words rang true in his heart, even if he feared they might seem too simple to others. He recounted the Christmas story from the Bible with rhyme, and he thought the words would sing well. Inspired by the sick baby, and the loss of the church organ, his lyrics read:
Silent Night
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon virgin,
Mother and child.
Holy infant, so tender and mild.
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light;
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.
After he finished the lyric, Father Joseph knew that the new song needed music but didn’t think he could finish it in time for midnight service.
So, Father Joseph hurried to his friend, schoolteacher, organist, and choirmaster, Franz Gruber. Although Franz played the organ for the church, he also played the guitar. Since the organ was broken, he would have to shine on the stringed instrument.
When Father Joseph arrived at Franz’s home, he brushed the falling snow from his shoulders. He knocked on the door and called “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas to you, my dear friend!” said Franz, as he opened the door. He took Joseph’s coat, hat, and scarf from him and hung them on a hook.
“Can you finish my song before service tonight?” Father Joseph said. “It would be such a Christmas gift! Our organ broke, and I thought you could finish my lyric with something special on the guitar. I can’t do it myself.”
“Right now?” Franz said. “We were about to eat our Christmas Eve dinner!”
“Pardon me, but . . .” Father Joseph pleaded. “I really need your help.”
“I understand,” Franz said. “All the songs I planned to play on the organ this year will have to be saved for next year.”
Sitting by the fireplace, Franz took the crumpled piece of paper with the scribbled lyric from Joseph. Franz paused, and then, hummed a melody while strumming the guitar.
Father Joseph thought it sounded like the most peaceful melody that he had ever heard.
As Father Joseph paced back and forth in Franz’s home, Franz finally finished the music to the lyric. Joseph thought the song was such an answered prayer.
“Do you think it’s too simple?” Franz asked Father Joseph in a moment of doubt.
“Oh, it’s gorgeous, Franz,” Father Joseph said with a tear in his eye. “The congregation will love it.”
With relief, Father Joseph warmed his hands at the fireplace, put his coat and hat back on, and hurried to the door. He wrapped his scarf around his neck.
“See you later tonight,” Franz said to him. “We’ll make everything work out somehow.”
Father Joseph walked back to his church singing, “Silent night, holy night . . .” It did seem like a holy night to him despite all the turmoil.
At the beginning of the Midnight Mass, Father Joseph prayed silently to God, worried that the congregation would reject the new hymn on the guitar. After all, they were expecting to hear the organ at its best.
At least the church looked gorgeous, decorated in garland and holly wreaths. Candles were stuck in each of the pews for the congregants to light as they worshipped.
As the church members bustled to their seats, they did seem to have a bit of excitement and anticipation of what surprises Christmas might bring them.
Then, Franz burst in the side door of the church with his guitar and family, ready to play the new hymn. Joseph decided to present the song first, and then give his homily.
“Merry Christmas! I would like to now play a new Christmas hymn written by myself and Franz,” Father Joseph announced. “Since our organ is broken, Franz will play the guitar. Sometimes, new songs come from the most unlikely places at the right time when we need them the most.”
Father Joseph watched the congregation shift in their seats and whisper among themselves. He was worried at what their response might be, but he hoped for the best.
“What happened to the organ?” one man in a black suit snapped.
“Shh,” another lady in a red and gold Christmas gown whispered. “He’s about to play his new hymn.”
The entire congregation grew completely quiet. Then, as if angels had descended from heaven to sing with them, Father Joseph and Franz debuted “Silent Night” for the first time. Joseph felt nervous down to his toes.
“Silent night, holy night,” Father Joseph sang as Franz strummed the guitar. Franz sang some spontaneous harmonies that the priest loved.
Father Joseph blinked back tears. It sounded so angelic. He thought the song felt simple, but timeless. He sensed a special presence of peace in the sanctuary.
One at a time, while the priest and choirmaster sang, the congregation lit candles that were stuffed in the pews. Small children stood in awe as their parents struck matches for flames. The church had never been so beautiful and serene. The pews glowed with golden light.
The Strassers, a family of travelling glovemakers, sat in the front pews, filled with tears. Father Joseph knew the family was known for their singing and glad they were in attendance for the first performance of his hymn.
“The song makes me think of our children when they were younger,” Mr. Strasser said to his wife. “How thoughtful of Father Joseph and Franz to write such a lovely new carol for Christmas.”
As Father Joseph and Franz finished the carol, Joseph cleared his throat. He was nervous to ask for more money than the congregation might have during the holidays to buy a new organ.
“Now that we have heard the beautiful new hymn on guitar, please give generously for us to be able to buy a new organ,” Father Joseph pleaded. “God loves a cheerful giver!”
As the offering plate made its way throughout the congregation, the Strasser family dug into their pockets, and each gave an offering, even the children. The rest of the congregation dropped dollars and coins onto the plate as well.
As Father Joseph looked at the offering plate when it returned to him, he noticed a major donation or two. Mr. Strasser smiled with joy at Father Joseph, who was so surprised at the large amount of money in the offering. After he gave the benediction for the service, Father Joseph watched as his congregants went home, singing the new hymn to themselves. He hoped they remembered every word in their hearts.
“Could we please have a copy of the new hymn, Father Joseph?” Mr. Strasser said to the priest after the service. “My family and I sing folk songs, and I would love to champion ‘Silent Night.’”
After that night, the hymn was so well-loved that it spread to neighboring villages across Austria and eventually Europe, much to the credit of the Strasser family, who often sang the song with harmonies as their father sold gloves. The family even performed it for King Frederick William IV of Prussia.
As time passed, the Rainers, another family of singers, performed the song often as well, eventually at Trinity Church in New York City. Father Joseph had never anticipated “Silent Night” would receive so much recognition. He was grateful every time he received word that someone else had performed his hymn. His church became known as the Silent Night Chapel.
As tradition has it, the song is now sung on Christmas Eve all over the world at the stroke of midnight by candlelight. It offers a peaceful blessing in tumultuous times. Everyone needs a silent night, but most of all at Christmas.
Editor’s note: “The Most Silent Night” is a fictionalized retelling of the first performance of “Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht”), written in 1818 by Father Joseph Mohr, a young priest at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria, and composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, the church organist. “Silent Night” was performed for the first time on Christmas Eve during Midnight Mass by candlelight. Today, it is sung all around the world as a symbol of peace.
Copyright 2019, 2025 Jennifer Waters
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