God Is Born facts for kids
| God Is Born | |
|---|---|
Nativity scene of Poland. Crib in Katowice
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| Polish Christmas carol | |
| Lyrics | Franciszek Karpiński |
| Composer | unknown |
| Written | 1792 |
"Bóg się rodzi" (meaning "God Is Born" in English) is a very famous Polish Christmas carol. It's a special song sung during Christmas in Poland. The words were written by a poet named Franciszek Karpiński in 1792.
The beautiful melody of this carol is very old. People believe it comes from a coronation polonaise. This was a grand dance tune used for Polish Kings way back in the 1500s. Some people even think "Bóg się rodzi" is like Poland's national Christmas song. For a short time, it was even thought of as a national anthem! Many people call it "one of the most beloved Polish Christmas carols."
The carol was first printed in 1792. It was part of a book of Karpiński's works called Pieśni nabożne (which means Songs of Piety). A group of monks called the Basilian monks printed the book in a place called Supraśl. But the song was actually performed in public a few years before that. It happened in the Old Basilica in Białystok. This is because Karpiński lived nearby in the Branicki Palace from 1785 to 1818. Today, a special plaque on the church wall remembers this first performance. It says: In this church, for the first time ever, Songs of Piety by Franciszek Karpiński were performed. The carol's first name was Pieśń o Narodzeniu Pańskim, meaning Song of the birth of our Lord.
What the Carol Is Like
This carol has five verses. Each verse has eight lines, and each line has eight syllables. The song uses a special way of writing called a rhetorical tautology. This means it uses words that seem to contradict each other to make a point.
For example, it says things like:
- "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 phrases might seem like oxymorons (words that are opposites used together). But they are used on purpose! They help to show how amazing and important the miracle of Jesus's birth was. It happened in a simple stable, but it was a huge event.
The words of the carol also connect to the Gospel of John in the Bible. It mentions "Word-Turned-Flesh to prove the Story, lived among us, born of Heaven." This part talks about God becoming human. Also, Karpiński added a message about love for his country. The fifth verse asks Baby Jesus to "bless our homeland now and ever."
Famous Performances and Mentions
"Bóg się rodzi" was a very important song for Pope John Paul II. He talked about it during a Christmas greeting event in 1996. The Pope used the carol's words to explain how God, who is infinite, chose to become human and experience human limits.
Many popular Polish singers have performed this hymn. These include Anna Maria Jopek, Violetta Villas, Michał Bajor, Krzysztof Krawczyk, and Eleni Tzoka. It was even sung by Polish prisoners in the Auschwitz concentration camp. One prisoner, Jozef Jedrych, remembered how after German carols, the powerful words of "God is born, the powers tremble" were sung. This shows how important the song was to people, even in very difficult times.
In Games
An instrumental version of "Bóg się rodzi" is featured in the "Brave New World" expansion pack for the video game Civilization V. It is the main theme music for the Polish civilization in the game, which is led by Casimir III.
See also
- Pasterka culmination of Christmas in Poland
- List of Christmas carols
- Christmas music
- Hymn (song of praise)
- Kolęda (also known as Koliada in Slavic Europe)
