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Frederick Oakeley

Birth: September 5, 1802, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England
Death: January 29, 1880, Islington, Middlesex, England

The original four verses of "O Come All Ye Faithful" were translated by an Englishman, Frederick Oakeley. Oakeley had taken Holy Orders with the Church of England in 1828, but switched to Roman Catholicism in 1845. In 1852 Oakeley became canon at Westminster Cathedral, and he often worked among the poor of Westminster.

His original translation of the hymn, done in 1841, began "Ye faithful, approach ye." But in 1845 he rewrote the beginning of the hymn, "O come, all ye faithful, Joyfully triumphant," the well-known words that are widely sung today.

Oakeley published other hymn poetry as well. His collections include Lyra Liturgica: Reflections in verse for Holy Days and Seasons (1865).