• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Members of the gospel choir of St. Saviour High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., sing during the Diocese of Brooklyn's annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony Dec. 5, 2019, at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

‘O Holy Night’ tops all hymns used in churches in December, according to poll

December 6, 2022
By Mark Pattison
Catholic News Service
Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Christmas, Feature, News, World News

WASHINGTON (CNS) — The Christmas carol “O Holy Night” ranked first in a list of hymns most played in December at Christian churches in the United States.

“O Come All Ye Faithful” and “Silent Night” ranked second and third, respectively.

Patti Labelle performs with Howard University Gospel Choir during the National Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Ellipse near the White House in Washington Dec. 2, 2021. (CNS photo/Leah Millis, Reuters)

The list was compiled by Pushpay, which offers electronic giving options for churches and their congregants.

It asked its 15,000 subscribing churches last December what hymns they used that month, and released the results this Dec. 1. A Pushpay spokeswoman, Katie Griffin, could not supply a breakdown of Catholic parishes among those churches.

The top-10 list is filled with carols familiar to Catholics. Following the top three choices are, in order, “The First Noel,” “Joy To The World” and “Angels We Have Heard On High.”

Following those are two songs featured more in the repertoire of non-Catholic churches.

“Glorious Day,” which ranked seventh overall, was recorded by the contemporary Christian group Passion, featuring Kristian Stanfill on vocals. It is more of a salvation narrative without any lyrics taking note of the birth or infancy of Jesus. Still, the song’s official music and lyrics video has received 6.6 million views on YouTube.

There are several versions of the eighth-ranked song, “Goodness of God.” One video of the song has climbed up to 7 million YouTube views. The song is another in the Christian contemporary genre which focuses more on a first-person-singular, personal relationship with Jesus than a first-person plural voice found more often in Catholic hymnody.

Ninth is the gospel melody “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” which has found a home in many Catholic hymnals and parishes.

And, to prove that the list took into account all of December and not just the week beginning Dec. 25, winding up in the 10th spot was “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” an Advent song based on a chant melody familiar to Catholics not only in the United States but throughout the world.

Griffin told Catholic News Service it’s conducting the poll again this December. The top five songs from the 2020 poll were, in order, “Joy To The World,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Silent Night,” “O Come O Come Emmanuel” and “O Holy Night.”

Read More Christmas

RADIO INTERVIEW: The Holy Family

Continue contemplating the mystery of Christmas, pope urges

Priest weathers Christmas blizzard on fireboat celebrating Mass for two

Parishioners at Ss. Philip and James weather cold snap with Christmas spirit

Ukrainian archbishop urges people to celebrate Christmas even amid war

Jesus’ birth is not ‘fairy tale,’ but call to live the Gospel, pope says

Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Mark Pattison

Catholic News Service is a leading agency for religious news. Its mission is to report fully, fairly and freely on the involvement of the church in the world today.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Religious leaders share vocation stories with Cockeysville students
  • Annapolis parish marks historic milestone
  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Tuition at Catholic high schools in Baltimore archdiocese significantly lower than other area private schools
  • Movie Review: ‘Knock at the Cabin’

| Latest Local News |

‘I’m a survivor’: Parishioner finds strength in faith even after abuse

Sister Margarita Musquera, O.S.P., dies at 93.

Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day

| Latest World News |

Pope Francis calls for solidarity with Turkey, Syria after earthquakes

Biden reiterates call to codify Roe v. Wade in State of the Union address

Pope repeats calls, prayers for peace and justice in Africa

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • ‘I’m a survivor’: Parishioner finds strength in faith even after abuse
  • Pope Francis calls for solidarity with Turkey, Syria after earthquakes
  • Biden reiterates call to codify Roe v. Wade in State of the Union address
  • Pope repeats calls, prayers for peace and justice in Africa
  • Catholic aid agencies launch emergency collections for quake victims in Turkey, Syria
  • Eagles fans bring faith to the field for the Super Bowl
  • Catholic marriage prep: We want the whole feast, please!
  • Sister Margarita Musquera, O.S.P., dies at 93.
  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED