A Caroling With Rosy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Guiding us on to heaven afar

The lyrics of the carol, "Star of the East", were written by George Cooper. The second line of the hymn is "guiding us on to heaven afar". Cooper was a poet of the late 1800s and a friend to Stephen Foster with whom he collaborated during Foster's declining years. Other "guide word lines" occur throughout remaining stanzas, such as: "Help us to follow where Thou still dost guide", and "Guide us still onward to that blessed shore".

Answer: Ring Bells

The English title of this Christmas song is "Ring Bells". Written by Karl Elsin, the song has the bells ringing for the Christmas Child to come in from the cold to bring His warmth and happiness to all. The refrain's last two lines are: "Ring bells go ting-a-ling-a-ling, ring little bells" In German, the last lines are, "Kling Glöckchen, Klingeling".

Answer: Bring a torch, to Bethlehem come!

"Bring a Torch Jeanette, Isabella! Bring a torch, to Bethlehem come!" This carol originated in the Provence area of France in 1553. The continuing lyrics, "Christ is born, Tell the folk of the village", bring together all of the town for this Christmas birth. Today in the Provence area of France, from December 4th to January 6th, (the Feast of the Magi), the people of Provence participate in tableaux, parades, and midnight Masses. On January 6, in this area, they celebrate the Magi with a procession of the Three Kings, who wear traditional Provencal costumes.

Answer: The Star of Bethlehem

Unfortunately the music to this hymn," Behold That Star", cannot be heard here. The music does seems to create a kind of heart thumping joy. The last line of the refrain is, "It is the star of Bethlehem". The composer of "Behold That Star" was Thomas W. Talley, son of an ex-slave and also the director of the Mozart Society at Fisk University in Nashville.

Answer: Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming

"Es ist ein Ros ent­ sprung­ en" was translated from German to the English by Theodore Baker in 1894. The translated English title is, "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming". The first two lines of "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" paraphrase the biblical verse from Isaiah 11:10: "Lo, how a Rose e'er blooming from tender stem hath sprung!, Of Jesse's lineage coming, as men of old have sung"... '
The second verse starts with, " Isaiah 'twas foretold it, the Rose I have in mind; ...'

Answer: In such a place of rest !

Composer John Bacchus Dykes,a mid-eighteenth century English clergyman and hymnist composed the hymn, "Sleep Holy Babe". The first line is "Sleep, Holy Babe! upon thy mother's breast!. The last two lines of each stanza are repetitive. The first stanza's ending lines are, "In such a place of rest, In such a place of rest!". John Dykes takes us through the holiness, happiness and joy of the birth of Christ with the comfort of His Mother for three stanzas.

The fourth and last stanza forecasts the Crucifixion and death of this Infant with the last two lines: "That Death alone shall close. That Death alone shall close."

Answer: Adeste Fideles

In 1917, Pietro A. Yon composed the hymn, "Gesu Bambino", also known as "When Blossoms Flowered Amid the Snow". The lyrics of "Gesu Bambino" were translated into English by Frederick H. Martens. Long before 1740, when John Francis Wade was credited for composing "Adeste Fideles" it was said to be a very popular hymn which had no credited composer.

The refrain to "Adeste Fideles" and "Gesu Bambino" is the same in melody and lyrics. "O come let us adore Him....".

Answer: Judea

This lovely old hymn is entitled, "In Old Judea". The first two lines describe the area of this province, "In old Judea, amid the plains afar...." bathed in the splendor that floods the eastern sky....". The first two lines of the second verse pinpoint the location of where Christ was born: " In old Judea, where Christ, the Lord, was born, In Bethlehem, that blessed Christmas morn;....". Bethlehem today is controlled by the Palestinian Authority and is about five miles south of Jerusalem.

Answer: King

The words and music of the hymn "The Birthday of a King" were composed by William Harold Neidlinger in the late 1890s. The refrain to "Birthday of a King" is "Alleluia, Alleluia" O how the angels sang...." In many churches, particularly at children's Christmas services, as the children approach the Creche, they sing "Happy Birthday" to the Baby.

Answer: A year

"Buon Natale"'s verse explains why Christmas last all year in this quaint little town. The verse is:
"They don't know the time or year
And no one seems to care
And this is the reason the Christmas season
Is celebrated all year"

It is reported that the first Christmas hymn was written by St.Francis of Assisi who composed the Latin hymn, "Psalmus in Nativitae". It has also been noted that the celebration of Christmas originated in Italy and that Italy is the birthplace of the first Christmas carol.