St Nicholas Hymns & Songs by James Rosenthal

James Rosenthal is one of the world's foremost St. Nicholas enthusiasts and a prolific St. Nicholas hymn writer. He's portrayed St. Nicholas in many places in England, the United States, in Beit Jala, Palestine, and more. He also founded the popular St Nicholas Fest in Canterbury, England.

Especially appropriate for children

Jolly Old St. Nicholas (new words)
Tune: TRADITIONAL, Jolly Old St. Nicholas
For St. Nicholas Parish Church, Newchurch-in-Rossendale, Lancashire, England

Jolly Old St Nicholas (new words II)
Tune: Traditional
For the children of Norway, July 2011

St. Nicholas Song
Children everywhere agree
Tunes: ST BEES 77 77 or
MONKLAND 77 77
For Miriam, Bois Blanc Pointe aux Pins, Michigan

Children run and shout with glee
Tune: Easter Hymn 77 77 with Alleluias
For St Silas Pentonville, Easter 2011

A Song for St Nicholas
The saint now is coming
Tunes: Traditional Dutch Zie Ginds Komt de Stoomboot or
ST DENIO 11 11 11 11
For the Feast of the Translation of the Relics to Bari from Myra, May 9, 2004

Sing a song of holy praise
Tune: GROSSER GOT / TE DEUM 78 78 77 (Holy God we praise thy name)

There was a Good Bishop whose story is told
Tune: LOURDES HYMN 11 11
First sung at the 2001 St Nicholas Fest at Canterbury Cathedral

There was a good bishop who lived long ago
Tune: ST. DENIO 11 11 11 or
REGENT SQUARE 87 87 87

Saint of Joy and Saint of Care
Tune: DIX 77 77 77

A St Nicholas Song
The saint of Christmas now we see
Tune: I Saw Three Ships

Sing we now and chant it
Tune: O, kom er eens kijken (Dutch Sinterklaas tune)

General Use

Good Saint Nicholas of Myra
Tune: WESTMINSTER ABBEY 87 87 87

O Blessed Saint
Tune: ST FULBERT CM or
ST ANNE CM

Saints of Advent
Tune: MONKLAND 77 77

Nicholas of Myra
Tune: GUITING POWER 85 85 79
For cast and crew of "Nicholas of Myra," following a visit to Wonderworker Studio, 2006

A Ballad of St Nicholas
Let us sing the song of Nicholas
Tune: JOHN BROWN'S BODY (Battle Hymn of the Republic) 77 87 876 886
For the publication of St Nicholas A Closer Look at Christmas by Wheeler/Rosenthal, 2006

A St Nicholas Carol
Saint Nicholas the Children's Friend
Tune: SALVE REGINA / Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above (Sister Act)

Who is this, for whom we sing?
Tune: GLORIA (A French Carol) 77 77 with refrain

Wondrous story, saint in glory
Tune: DAILY DAILY 87 87 66 or
BEECHER 87 87 D

Who Comes Each Year?
Tune: SINE NOMINE (All Hallows) 10 10 10 4 4

There's a Saint that We Remember
Tune: WHEN HE COMETH 85 85 with refrain

A Song of Celebration
Tune: ST. THEODULPH (VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN) 76 76 D
For the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem

Each year we celebrate with joy
Tune: Londonderry Air
For St. Stephen Walbrook, May 22 Russian Feast of the Translation of the Relics to Bari, Italy

Look He Comes
Tune: KALMAR ((Hela världen fröjdes Herran) 1676 Swedish 87 87 77 or
IRBY 87 87 77
For St Nicholas Parish Church, St Nicholas at Wade, Kent, England, 2012

Those who love the saint of children
Tune: ERIE [CONVERSE / WHAT A FRIEND] 8.7.8.7 D or
BEECHER 8.7.8.7 D or
Oh, My Darling Clementine
To remember those who have died, as Nicholas’s parents died, of the plague—ours being what we call CORONAVIRUS, 2020

Saint Nicholas we humbly pray
Tune: CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM LMD
Dedicated to the Rt. Revd Frank Griswold, 2023

The Revd Dr. Canon James M. Rosenthal served as the director of communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, as the director of communications for the Anglican Communion for nearly twenty years, and as parish priest in England at St Nicholas Parish Church, St Nicholas at Wade; St James the Great, Merton; and presently at Christ the King, Salfords, Redhill. He is a dear friend and has contributed a great deal to St. Nicholas Center.