"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on St. Stephen's Day (December 26), the day after Christmas. In the journey, his page gives up the struggle against the cold weather and is aided by the king who provides the miracle of the warmth that’s needed in his footprints in the snow. The subject of the carol is the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907-935). For the short novel by Charles Dickens, see A Christmas Carol. ... Alms Bag taken from some Tapestry in Orleans, Fifteenth Century. ... St Stephens Day, or the Feast of St Stephen, is a Christian saints day celebrated on 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. ... For other uses, see Christmas (disambiguation). ... A page is a young male servant. ... For other uses, see Saint (disambiguation). ... Statue of Saint Wenceslaus in Olomouc (Czech Republic). ... The Lands of the Czech /Bohemian/ Crown (Czech zemÄ› Koruny české, Latin Corona regni Bohemiae) (e. ...

The tune is to "Tempus Adest Floridum" ("It is time for flowering"), a 13th-century spring carol, first published in the Swedish/Finnish Piae Cantiones, 1582. The carol is also found in Carmina Burana as CB 142. "Tempus Adest Floridum" was translated into English as "The Flower Carol", and was recorded by Jean Ritchie on the album "Carols For all Seasons" (1959), with the "Good King Wenceslas" tune. A carol is a festive song, generally religious but not necessarily connected with church worship, and often with a dance-like or popular character. ... Piae Cantiones ecclesiasticae et scholasticae veterum episcoporum (in English Devout ecclesiastical and scholastic songs of the old bishops) is a collection of late medieval Latin songs compiled by Jacobus Finno and published in 1582 by Theodoricus Petri Nylandensis. ... Gregorian Calendar switch: Year 1582 involved conversion to the Gregorian calendar. ... Carmina Burana (IPA: ; note that the stress is on the first syllable of Carmina, not the second) also known as the Burana Codex is a manuscript collection, now in the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich, of more than 1000 poems and songs written in the early 13th century. ... Jean Ritchie (born 1922) is an American folk singer. ...

In 1853, G. J. R. Gordon, Her Majesty's Envoy and Minister at Stockholm, gave a rare copy of the 1582 edition of Piae Cantiones to The Reverend John Mason Neale (Warden of Sackville College, East Grinstead, Sussex) and to The Reverend Thomas Helmore (Vice-Principal of St. Mark's College, Chelsea). The book was entirely unknown in England at that time. 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Stockholm (disambiguation). ... John Mason Neale (January 24, 1818 - August 6, 1866), English divine and scholar, was born in London, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. ... Sackville College from the High street Sackville College is a Jacobean almshouse in town of East Grinstead, England. ... East Grinstead (archaically spelt Grimstead[1]) is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. ... Sussex is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. ... Statue of Thomas More on Cheyne Walk. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

Neale translated some of the carols and hymns, and in 1853, he and Helmore published 12 carols in Carols for Christmas-tide (with music from Piae Cantiones). In 1854, they published 12 more in Carols for Easter-tide. The inspirational copy of Piae Cantiones is now said to be in the British Museum. A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a god or other religiously significant figure. ... 1854 (MDCCCLIV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The British Museum in London, England is one of the worlds greatest museums of human history and culture. ...

The lyrics are by Neale (1818–1866). He may have written the hymn some time earlier; he related the story on which it is based in Deeds of Faith (1849). Year 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Year 1849 (MDCCCXLIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Lyrics

Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen,

When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;

Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,

When a poor man came in sight gath'ring winter fuel.

"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,

Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;

Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:

Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."

Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;

Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;

Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer."

"Mark my footsteps, my good page. Tread thou in them boldly:

Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;

Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.

Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,

Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.

The lyrics are in the public domain. Statue of Saint Wenceslaus in Olomouc (Czech Republic). ... St Stephens Day, or the Feast of St Stephen, is a Christian saints day celebrated on 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. ... A page is a young male servant. ... For other uses, see league. ... For other uses, see Saint Agnes (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Pine (disambiguation). ... Rolled sod Sod is turf and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of this material. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...

Cover Versions

• 1965 - Joan Sutherland with Richard Bonynge and the New Philharmonia Orchestra - The Joy of Christmas
• 1966 - Joan Baez - Noël
• 1974 - George Guest and The Choir of St. John's College, Cambridge - Christmas at St John's
• 1984 - Mannheim Steamroller - Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
• 1989 - R.E.M. - 1989 Holiday Fanclub single
• 1994 - Butthole Surfers - Good King Wenceslas/The Lord is a Monkey
• 1995 - Loreena McKennitt - A Winter Garden
• 2002 - Crash Test Dummies - Jingle All the Way
• 2004 - Tonus Peregrinus - The Naxos Book of Carols
• 2007 - Relient K - Let it Snow, Baby... Let it Reindeer

Dame Joan Sutherland OM, AC, DBE (born November 7, 1926) is an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the bel canto revival of the 1950s and 1960s. ... Richard Bonynge (born September 29, 1930) is an Australian conductor. ... The Philharmonia is an orchestra based in London. ... Joan Chandos Baez (born January 9, 1941) is an American folk singer and songwriter known for her highly individual vocal style. ... Noël was a Christmas album by Joan Baez, released in 1966. ... George Guest (9 February 1924 - 20 November 2002) was organist and choirmaster of St Johns College, Cambridge, for four decades. ... Full name The College of Saint John the Evangelist of the University of Cambridge Motto - Named after The Hospital of Saint John the Evangelist, Cambridge, named after John the Evangelist Previous names - Established 1511 Sister College Balliol College Master Prof. ... Mannheim Steamroller is an 18th century classical rock group founded by Chip Davis, and co-founded by Jackson Berkey, well-known for their modern recordings of holiday music (notably Christmas). ... Mannheim Steamroller Christmas (also known as Christmas 1984) was the first Christmas album released by new age musical group Mannheim Steamroller. ... R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia in 1980 by Bill Berry (drums), Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass guitar), and Michael Stipe (vocals). ... The Butthole Surfers are an American rock band founded in 1981 by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas. ... Loreena McKennitt live on stage Loreena McKennitt, C.M. (b. ... This article is about a music group. ... -1... This article is about the Christian rock band. ... Let it Snow, Baby. ...

External links

• Good King Wenceslas A public domain educational school play by Jan Křesadlo
• Good King Wenceslas A witty whimsical version of the classic poem text in the Rhyme royal verse form, by Bob Newman (not to be confused with this one),(some of his other parodies here [1])