The translation we sing today of "Silent Night" first appeared in 1863. Its author was unknown until 1959, when it was determined to have been the Reverend John Freeman Young. An Episcopal priest assigned to Trinity Church in New York City, Rev. Young enjoyed translating European hymns and carols into English. One of these carols was "Stille Nacht! Heilige Nacht!". The words he provided for this song are the same words found today in most hymnals published in English-speaking nations. In 1867 Reverend John Freeman Young became Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida.

(Christmas historian Bill Egan, a retired Navy photojournalist and resident of Flagler Beach, writes for Year 'Round
Christmas Magazine and provides Christmas research for Charles Osgood of "The Osgood File" on
CBS Radio. He is the producer of the annual "Adventsingen" concert in Daytona Beach and has provided the Art
League of Daytona Beach with a major "krippe" exhibition and the Halifax Historical Museum with a "Silent Night"
exhibit. He has made three trips to Austria to research the history of "Silent Night" and will lead a tour to "The Land of Silent Night" in December 1998.)