<Tr> <Th> Language </Th> <Td> French, English </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Performed </Th> <Td> 1847 (1847) </Td> </Tr> <P> "O Holy Night" (French: "Minuit Chretiens!" or "Cantique de Noël") is a well - known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) written by a wine merchant and poet, Placide Cappeau (1808--1877). In both the French original and the two familiar English versions of the carol, as well as many other languages, the text reflects on the birth of Jesus and on humanity's redemption . </P> <P> In Roquemaure at the end of 1843, the church organ had recently been renovated . To celebrate the event, the parish priest asked Cappeau, a native of the town, to write a Christmas poem, even though the latter had never showed any interest in religion, and Cappeau obliged . Soon afterwards, Adam wrote the music . The song was premiered in Roquemaure in 1847 by the opera singer Emily Laurey . Unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight, editor of Dwight's Journal of Music, created a singing edition based on Cappeau's French text in 1855 . </P>

What does the song o holy night mean