Do you know who invented that of singing the joys in the Novenas of Aguinaldos? We tell you this and the history of christmas carols.
You may be surprised to think about it, but the Christmas carol is a traditional musical genre from the Iberian Peninsula that was very popular during the 15th to 18th centuries. The curious thing about the case is that although it is now related to religious music, it was originally pagan; Structurally, it is characterized by having refrains and verses without fixed metrics, which are sung alternating soloist and choir.
Historians place its origin during the European Renaissance, when the lyrics of a Christmas carol recorded in the Chronicle of the population of Ávila (1255) and that it does not have a liturgical theme, but an epic one, that is, it tells the story of a hero.
The true story of Christmas carols
Although researchers do not agree on exactly when these types of songs began to be associated with Christmas, the truth is that in the 16th century the Catholic Church understood that it was very difficult for people to understand the message of the priests, because they gave the religious service in Latin, a language that most people did not speak in Europe.
Then, the ecclesiastical authorities ordered to evangelize in vernacular languages (not cultured), such as Spanish, and to begin to enliven the Eucharist with Christmas carols, since they were in fashion at that time. At first they were choirs, but later they added a guitar.
Christmas carols: history in Colombia
Then, How was it that in Colombia we ended up singing Christmas carols in the Novenas de Aguinaldos? The person in charge is a nun: Bertilda Samper Acosta (1856-1910), called María Ignacia by those of her congregation; she was a writer and produced an update of the Novena de Aguinaldos (a Catholic tradition that is prayed in Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador) whose edition brought joys, which structurally are Christmas carols.
The word «villancico» comes from «villano» (but not with the meaning of evil, but of inhabitant of a village), who used to sing this type of song. It should be clarified that In several countries where the Novena is not prayed, carols are still sung during Christmas; In the United States, street choirs are a tradition.
What is your favorite Christmas carol? Mine is Silent Night. Write the answer to this question in the comments of this note, and share it on your social networks!
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