"Bóg się rodzi" ( en, "God Is Born", ) is a Polish Christmas carol ( pl, kolęda), with

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a " libretto" and their writer, ...

written by

Franciszek Karpiński Franciszek Karpiński (4 October 1741 – 16 September 1825) was the leading sentimental Polish poet of the Age of Enlightenment. He is particularly remembered for his religious works later rendered as hymns and carols. He is also considered ...

in 1792. Its stately melody (the composer has not been established) is traditionally known to be a coronation

polonaise The polonaise (, ; pl, polonez ) is a dance of Polish origin, one of the five Polish national dances in time. Its name is French for "Polish" adjective feminine/"Polish woman"/"girl". The original Polish name of the dance is Chodzony, meani ...

for

Polish Kings Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16th ...

dating back as far as during the reign of

Stefan Batory Stefan may refer to: * Stefan (given name) * Stefan (surname) * Ștefan, a Romanian given name and a surname * Štefan, a Slavic given name and surname * Stefan (footballer) (born 1988), Brazilian footballer * Stefan Heym, pseudonym of German writ ...

in the 16th century. The carol is regarded by some as the National Christmas

hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hy ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

, and, for a short time, it was also considered a

national anthem A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and Europea ...

, for instance by poet Jan Lechoń.A. G. Piotrowska, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Instytut Muzykologii
Polish songs performing national anthem function
It has also been called "one of the most beloved Polish Christmas carols". The carol was published for the first time in a compilation of Karpiński's works entitled ''Pieśni nabożne'' (''Songs of Piety'') in 1792. The book was printed by the

Basilian monk Basilian monks are Roman Catholic monks who follow the rule of Basil the Great, bishop of Caesarea (330–379). The term 'Basilian' is typically used only in the Catholic Church to distinguish Greek Catholic monks from other forms of monastic l ...

s printing shop in

Supraśl Supraśl (; be, Су́прасль; ) is a town and former episcopal see in north-eastern Poland. Supraśl is in Podlaskie Voivodeship (province) since 1999, previously in Białystok Voivodeship (1975-1998) (1975–1998), and is in Białystok C ...

. However, the hymn had been publicly presented already a few years earlier, in the Old Basilica in Białystok, as Karpiński lived in Białystok's Branicki Palace in the years from 1785 to 1818. First presentation of the carol is now commemorated by a tablet, located on the wall of the church. The tablet reads: ''In this church, for the first time ever, Songs of Piety by Franciszek Karpiński were performed''. The original title of the carol is ''Pieśń o Narodzeniu Pańskim'' (''On God's Nativity'' or ''Song of the birth of our Lord'').

Structure

The carol consists of five verses, each verse with eight lines, and each line with eight syllables. The hymn can be characterized as a rhetorical tautology, which is visible while analyzing the text (''God is born, power is trembling: Lord of the Heaven bared/exposed. Fire’s congealing/solidifying, lucence/resplendence is darkening, the infinite/endless one has limits/boundaries''). These apparently oxymoronic figures of speech are used deliberately, to emphasize the importance of the miracle which took place in the shed. Lyrics of the carol are also supported by quotation from the

Gospel of John The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...

(''Word-Turned-Flesh to prove the Story, lived among us, born of Heaven''). Additionally, Karpiński inserted a patriotic message, as the fifth verse begins with an appeal to

Baby Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

(''Raise Your hand now, Child of Glory, bless our homeland now and ever''). "Bóg się rodzi" was the carol on which

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

based his talk during the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings on 23 December 1996 at the Paul VI Auditorium. The Pope cited the words of the hymn saying, "The poet presented the mystery of the Incarnation of God's Son, using contrasts to express what is essential to the mystery: in assuming human nature, the infinite God at the same time assumed the limitations of a creature". The hymn has been performed by several popular Polish artists, including

Anna Maria Jopek Anna Maria Jopek (born 14 December 1970) is a Polish vocalist, songwriter, and improviser. She represented Poland in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Ale jestem" and finished 11th out of 25 participating acts; and in 2002, she co ...

Violetta Villas Czesława Gospodarek (née Cieślak; 10 June 1938 – 5 December 2011), known by her stage name Violetta Villas, was a Polish and international cabaret star, singer, actress, composer and songwriter. Her voice was characterized as coloratura so ...

Michał Bajor Michał Bajor (born 13 June 1957 in Głuchołazy, Poland) is a Polish actor and musician. Bajor’s songs are based on texts by Wojciech Młynarski, Jonasz Kofta, Andrzej Ozga, Marcin Sosnowski, and Julian Tuwim. He is a member of the Academy of th ...

, Krzysztof Krawczyk and

Eleni Tzoka Eleni Tzoka (née Milopoulou; 27 April 1956, Bielawa) is a Polish singer of Greek descent. Biography Tzoka was born to a Greek family which emigrated to Poland in the 1950s.Papiernik, Joanna"Eleni - wielkie greckie serce" ludzie.senior.pl; acce ...

. It was sung by Polish prisoners of the Auschwitz concentration camp; an account by an inmate named Jozef Jedrych, kept in the Auschwitz Museum collections, describes how "the singing of German carols began, and then like the waves of the sea came the powerful words rom a Polish carol‘God is born, the powers tremble’."Christmas Eve in Auschwitz as Recalled by Polish Prisoners.
Internet Archive.

In popular culture

An instrumental rendition of this song is featured in the "Brave New World" expansion pack of ''

Civilization V ''Sid Meier's Civilization V'' is a 4X video game in the ''Civilization'' series developed by Firaxis Games. The game was released on Microsoft Windows on September 21, 2010, on OS X on November 23, 2010, and on Linux on June 10, 2014. In ...

''. It is the theme of the Polish civilization, which is led by Casimir III.

Text

Original Polish, and English translation. https://www.tekstowo.pl/piosenka,koleda,bog_sie_rodzi.html

References

Polish lyrics of "Bóg się rodzi" along with phonetic spelling
at ''Hymns, Gospel & Spirituals''. Retrieved December 21, 2012. {{authority control Christmas carols Christmas music 1792 songs 18th-century hymns Polish songs Christmas in Poland Songs about Jesus

Structure

In popular culture

Text

See also

References