O Holy Night - Part 2
On Christmas Eve of that year, a French soldier did the unthinkable. He laid down his weapon and, leaving the safety of his trench, he walked out into the open space between the trenches.
FEATUREDDEVOTIONS
O Holy Night - Part 2
It’s been a century and a half since the Franco-Prussian War which engulfed two of Europe’s major military powers in a savage battle for supremacy. The war began in July of 1870 and lasted less than a year, ending in January of 1871.
By Christmas time, nearly a quarter of a million men had been killed, thousands in trenched warfare.
Because of the brutal nature of the war, long trenches were dug where the soldiers found refuge from the bombardments and rifle fire. The only way to attack was to leave the shelter of the trenches and try to cross the territory between the two armies. Tens of thousands of men were killed as they entered what became known as No Man’s Land.
On Christmas Eve of that year, a French soldier did the unthinkable. He laid down his weapon and, leaving the safety of his trench, he walked out into the open space between the trenches. Standing alone in the midst of the barbed wire, as both armies watched, he began to sing.
“Minuit, chrétiens, c’est l’heure solennelle
Où l’Homme-Dieu descendit jusqu’à nous,
Pour effacer la tache originelle,
Et de son Père arrêter le courroux.
Le monde entier tressaille d’espérance,
À cette nuit qui lui donne un Sauveur.
Peuple, à genoux, attends ta délivrance
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!
Noël! Noël! Voici le Rédempteur!”
The words are the original early French version of “O Holy Night.” It is a song that brought a day’s peace to a war torn land when all other earthly efforts failed. Here is the literal translation of the song as it was written.
“Midnight, Christians, it is the solemn hour
When God as man descended among us
To expunge the stain of original sin
And to put an end to the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night which gives us a Savior.
People, on your knees, attend your deliverance.
Christmas! Christmas! Here is the Redeemer!
Christmas! Christmas! Here is the Redeemer!”
The fighting ceased for 24 hours. O Holy Night stopped a war for a day and it is just as powerful today as it was 150 years ago.
