Primum Noel Cecinit Angelus

Here is today's Latin Christmas carol; you can read one carol per day for the month of December, or see the complete collection all at once. Today's song is another example of an English carol, "The First Noel," which has been translated into Latin. The English carol probably dates back to the 16th century, although it was not collected and published until the 19th century. You can find various English versions along with MIDI files and sheet music at the Hymns and Carols of Christmas website.

The word "noel" (French for "Christmas") itself is derived from the Latin word Natalis.

Latin translation by J.C. Robertson, commonly found on the Internet.

Primum Noel cecinit angelus
pastoribus excubantibus,
qui summa hieme in agris
manebant cum gregibus suis.
CHORUS:
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Natus est Rex in Israel.

In caelum hi suspiciunt
stellamque clarissimam cernunt
quae ex oriente enitet
ac noctes diesque permanet.
CHORUS.

Iam duce stellae lumine
tres Magi venerunt peregre,
ut regem quaererent, certi
quocumque praeiret prosequi.
CHORUS.

Ad occidentem stella praeit
donec usque Bethlehem pervenit;
consistit tum supra locum in quo
puerulus iacet in praesaepio.
CHORUS.

Ingressi Magi illi tres
infantis Iesu ad pedes
se reverenter proiciunt,
et aurum, tus, myrrham offerunt.
CHORUS.

Nunc universi ex animo
tribuamus laudes Domino,
hunc mundum qui creaverit,
et sanguine Christi nos emerit.
CHORUS.

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Here are the carols I have completed so far:
December 1: Rudolphus
December 2: Angelus ad Virginem
December 3: Aquifolia Ornate
December 4: A Solis Ortus Cardine
December 5: O Viri, Este Hilares
December 6: Conditor Alme Siderum
December 7: Angeli Canunt Praecones
December 8: Regis Olim Urbe David
December 9: Gaudium Mundo
December 10: Resonet in Laudibus
December 11: Adeste Fideles
December 12: Christe, Redemptor Omnium
December 13: Dum Servant Pecus Pastores

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Bolchazy-Carducci has a Latin Christmas Carol music CD! With 12 songs in Latin, O Abies: O Christmas Tree is available at amazon.com for $17.00

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