The song goes back to a Dominican friar and an angelic visionThe friars of the Dominican House of Studies continues their Christmas tradition of celebrating the season with a new album, Christ Was Born to Save. The choir recorded a stunning version of “Good Christian Men, Rejoice,” which has Dominican roots. The friars shared the story:
Nearly seven hundred years ago, a Dominican friar named Henry Suso had a vision of angels singing and dancing with joy about the birth of the Infant Jesus. The German preacher and mystic poet was soon swept up by the angelic song, and penned the Christmas hymn In Dulci Jubilo as a result. In the loose translation familiar to many today, we sing,
Good Christian men, rejoice
With heart and soul and voice;
Now ye need not fear the grave;
Jesus Christ was born to save!
Calls you one and calls you all
To gain his everlasting hall.
Christ was born to save!
The album Christ Was Born to Save is available on iTunes, and all proceeds will go to support the Dominican students in Washington, DC.
Cecilia Music
