Earth Has Many a Noble City facts for kids
"Earth Has Many a Noble City" is a well-known Christian song, also called a hymn. It celebrates Epiphany, which is a Christian holiday. The hymn was first written in Latin by a Roman poet named Aurelius Clemens Prudentius. Later, an English clergyman named Edward Caswall translated it into English in 1849. Its original Latin title was "O sola magnarum urbium".
Contents
History of the Hymn
The Original Latin Version
Aurelius Clemens Prudentius was an important official in the Roman Empire. He worked for Emperor Theodosius I in a part of Spain. In 405 AD, Prudentius wrote many Christian prayers and hymns. He put them together in a book called Liber Cathemerinon. One of these hymns was "O sola magnarum urbium," which later became "Earth Has Many a Noble City" when translated.
The English Translation
Edward Caswall was a clergyman from England. He joined the Catholic Church in 1847. He was inspired by another clergyman, Cardinal John Newman, who translated Latin hymns into English. In 1849, Caswall published his own book called Lyra Catholica. This book included many Latin hymns that he had translated into English, including "Earth Has Many a Noble City".
Over time, the hymn has been changed a bit. In 1861, Caswall himself made a new version called "Bethlehem! of noblest cities".
What the Hymn is About
The English words of "Earth Has Many a Noble City" focus on the story of Epiphany. This story tells about the biblical Magi (wise men) who followed the Star of Bethlehem. The star led them to the Baby Jesus. The wise men then gave Baby Jesus special gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The hymn is often sung to a tune called "Stuttgart". This is the same tune sometimes used for the Advent carol "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus".
