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God Is Born
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Wikipedia article
'"Bg si rodzi"' (, ) is a Polish Christmas carol , with lyrics written by Franciszek Karpiski in 1792. Its stately melody (the composer has not been established) is traditionally known to be a coronation polonaise for Polish Kings dating back as far as during the reign of Stefan Batory in the 16th century. The carol is regarded by some as the National Christmas hymn of Poland,Maria Hubert von Staufer: [https://web.archive.org/web/20141126103043/http://www.christmasarchives.org/polishcarols.html Christmas Carols from Poland] and, for a short time, it was also considered a national anthem, for instance by poet Jan Lecho.A. G. Piotrowska, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, Instytut Muzykologii, [http://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?04PLAAAA0020440 Polish songs performing national anthem function][http://naszglos.civitaschristiana.pl/index.php?type=artykul&rok=2008&str=36&nr=12 Waldemar Smaszcz, 'A komu, jak nie Ewie Lipskiej', Civitas Christiana] It has also been called "one of the most beloved Polish Christmas carols".Jerzy Snopek, author of 'Oswiecenie. Szkic do portretu epoki,' (Warsaw, 1999): [http://f.poland.pl/files/86/0/234/Literature_of_Enlightenment.pdf Polish Literature of Enlightenment]
The carol was published for the first time in a compilation of Karpiski's works entitled 'Pieni nabone' ('Songs of Piety') in 1792.[http://karpinski.klp.pl/a-6389.html Hymn About the Birth of the Lord - analysis and interpretation] The book was printed by the Basilian monks printing shop in Supral.[http://www.puszczaknyszynska.pl/!en/suprasl.html Spirit of Suprasl] However, the hymn had been publicly presented already a few years earlier, in the Old Basilica in Biaystok, as Karpiski lived in Biaystok's Branicki Palace in the years from 1785 to 1818.[http://www.radio.bialystok.pl/kultura/2007/index.php?date=10-2007&id=1068 Radio Bialystok] 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 Karpiski were performed'. The original title of the carol is 'Pie o Narodzeniu Paskim' ('On God's Nativity' or 'Song of the birth of our Lord'[http://f.poland.pl/files/86/0/234/Literature_of_Enlightenment.pdf Polish Literature of Enlightenment] ).
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. Fires 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 ('Word-Turned-Flesh to prove the Story, lived among us, born of Heaven'). Additionally, Karpiski inserted a patriotic message, as the fifth verse begins with an appeal to Baby Jesus ('Raise Your hand now, Child of Glory, bless our homeland now and ever').
"Bg si rodzi" was the carol on which Pope John Paul II based his talk during the traditional exchange of Christmas greetings on 23 December 1996 at the Paul VI Auditorium.[http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP961223.htm "Christmas carols have shaped our history", Pope John Paul II] 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, Violetta Villas, Micha Bajor, Krzysztof Krawczyk and Eleni Tzoka. 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 [from a Polish carol] God is born, the powers tremble."[https://web.archive.org/web/20110521081824/http://en.auschwitz.org.pl/m/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=8 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'. 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
See also
*Pasterka culmination of Christmas in Poland
*List of Christmas carols
*Christmas music
*Hymn (song of praise)
*Kolda (also known as Koliada in Slavic Europe)
References
*[http://ingeb.org/spiritua/bogsiero.html Polish lyrics of "Bg si rodzi" along with phonetic spelling] at 'Hymns, Gospel & Spirituals'. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
Category:Christmas carols
Category:Christmas music
Category:1792 songs
Category:18th-century hymns
Category:Polish songs
Category:Christmas in Poland
Category:Songs about Jesus
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