O Come, All Ye Faithful Lyrics in Large Print: Free PDF
The words of O Come, All Ye Faithful are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. The Latin hymn is credited to John Francis Wade, and Frederick Oakeley made the English version in 1841. They were published before 1930, so they are public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words by | Latin hymn credited to John Francis Wade, first printed 1751 |
|---|---|
| English words | Frederick Oakeley, 1841; this wording in print 1852 |
| Music | John Francis Wade |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
O Come, All Ye Faithful in large print: words and download
O Come, All Ye Faithful
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold him born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
O sing, all ye bright hosts of heaven above;
Glory to God, all glory in the highest;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning,
Jesus, to thee be all glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
Christ, the Lord.
Words: Latin hymn Adeste fideles, earliest surviving manuscript by John Francis Wade (1751). Music: John Francis Wade (1751 manuscript). Public domain in the United States: English words translated 1841, this wording in print 1852 (US, published 1929 or earlier).
The words above are set the way this site sets every song: left aligned, one column, plain type with no italics, and a blank line between stanzas. The sheet has 6 stanzas and 21 lines. O Come, All Ye Faithful is one of the songs in our large print Christmas carols collection, where you can print it with others in one PDF, and the whole set of texts is listed on the large print prayers and hymns page.
Who wrote O Come, All Ye Faithful and when?
The carol began as a Latin hymn, Adeste fideles. Its authorship has been argued for centuries: Wikipedia lists John Francis Wade, John Reading, King John IV of Portugal and anonymous Cistercian monks among those named. Wade, an English Catholic living in exile in France, made a living copying music by hand, and his name is on the earliest printed versions. The earliest printed source Wikipedia cites is his 1751 collection Cantus Diversi, and a manuscript of his from that year is held at Stonyhurst College.
In 1841 the English priest Frederick Oakeley translated it, and the wording most people know today combines his verses with a translation by William Thomas Brooke, first published in Murray's Hymnal in 1852. Our sheet follows the English wording printed in the 1920 Army and Navy Hymnal.
When is O Come, All Ye Faithful sung?
The carol is sung in the run-up to Christmas and on Christmas Day, and it is commonly used as an opening or gathering hymn at carol services. If you are planning a folder of songs for the same occasion, the sheets for Silent Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Away in a Manger and God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen use the same layout, so they sit well together.
How do you print O Come, All Ye Faithful for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
In our layout tests on US Letter paper, O Come, All Ye Faithful takes 2 pages at 18 point, 2 at 24 point and 3 at 28 point. On 11 x 17 paper at 24 point it takes 1 page. Eighteen point is the smallest size we offer, because the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) says print below 18 point is not large print, and our page on what large print is explains the reasons for 18, 24 and 28 point.
Count copies before you print. A service needs one for every seat and about five extra; a sing-along needs one for each person so nobody has to lean over a neighbor; a care-home visit needs one for every resident and one for each helper. Choose cream paper with a matte finish, since glossy stock glares under ceiling lights. The refrain returns after each verse, so the sheet is longer than the number of verses suggests. If two singers share a sheet, use 11 x 17 paper so both can read it.