The Englishman, John Francis Wade, wrote both the words and the music, Adeste Fideles. The Musical score was first published in 1782 in Samuel Webbe's An Essay on the Church Plain Chant in 1782. John Francis Wade first included it in his own 1751 publication of Cantus Diversi. The lyrics were first published in 1760. We have seen it listed in some pamphlets and on the net as an ancient Latin hymn. Hogwash! The authors of those pages did not do their homework! You may also find it on the net called the Portuguese Hymn. However, it is not Portugese. It is definitely English, despite the original Latin verses. The major reason O Come All Ye Faithful has been called the Portugese Hymn is because it was sung in the Portuguese Embassy in London where the famous Vincent Novello was organist. He ascribed the melody to John Redding. He called it "Air by Redding, 1860". I have seen some Christmas pamphlets with Reddings name given as composer. However since he lived a century after the original manuscripts, and since I do not believe in reincarnation, I leave credit to John Francis Wade! Though he was English, he never translated the song into his native language. That was left for Frederick Oakely to do a century later. The version that we sing today has actually been worked over by several translators.

For more information, please visit http://www.cvc.org/christmas/hymns/hymn.htm.

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