Silent Night Lyrics in Large Print: Free Printable PDF
The words of Silent Night are here in large print, one sheet at 18, 24 or 28 point. Joseph Mohr wrote the words in 1816, and John Freeman Young made the English version in 1859. They were published before 1930, so they are public domain in the US and free to copy.
| Words by | Joseph Mohr, written 1816 in German |
|---|---|
| English words | John Freeman Young, 1859 |
| Music | Franz Xaver Gruber, 1818 |
| Type size | 18, 24 or 28 pt |
| Paper | US Letter, A4 or 11 x 17 in, white or cream |
Silent Night in large print: words and download
Silent Night
Silent night! Holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon Virgin Mother and Child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
sleep in Heavenly peace!
sleep in Heavenly peace!
Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight;
glories stream from Heaven afar,
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Christ, the Saviour, is born!
Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, Love's pure light
radiant, beams from Thy Holy face,
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth.
Words: Joseph Mohr (written 1816). Music: Franz Xaver Gruber (1818). Public domain in the United States: words published 1859 (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 3 stanzas and 18 lines. Silent Night 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 Silent Night and when?
Mohr was a young Catholic priest. According to Wikipedia, he wrote the poem in 1816 at Mariapfarr, in the Salzburg region of Austria. On Christmas Eve 1818 he brought it to Franz Xaver Gruber, the schoolmaster and organist of a nearby village, and asked for a melody and guitar accompaniment for that night's Mass. It was first performed at the Nikolauskirche in Oberndorf. In 1995 a manuscript in Mohr's own hand was found, dated about 1820, which settled the question of who wrote what.
The English version most often sung was published in 1859 by John Freeman Young, an Episcopal priest serving at Trinity Church in New York. He translated three of Mohr's six verses, and those three are the ones on this sheet. UNESCO named the carol an intangible cultural heritage in 2011.
When is Silent Night sung?
Silent Night is most often sung on Christmas Eve, the night it was first performed. It suits a slow, quiet moment in a service, so a sheet that everyone can read matters more than usual. If you are planning a folder of songs for the same occasion, the sheets for O Come, All Ye Faithful, Away in a Manger, It Came Upon the Midnight Clear and We Three Kings use the same layout, so they sit well together.
How do you print Silent Night for a service, a sing-along or a care-home visit?
In our layout tests on US Letter paper, Silent Night takes 1 page at 18 point, 2 at 24 point and 2 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.
For a service, print one sheet for each seat plus a few spares, since large print copies tend to be borrowed. For a sing-along, one sheet between two is enough on 11 x 17 paper at 24 point. For a care-home visit, print one for each resident and one for each helper, and slip them into sleeves you can wipe clean. Silent Night is often sung standing, in low light, so print it on cream paper with a matte finish so the page does not glare. Keep a few 28 point copies at the door for readers who ask.