"O Holy Night" (originally "Cantique de Noël") is a renowned Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847. It is based on the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) written by Placide Cappeau. In 1855, American unitarian minister John Sullivan Dwight wrote the most familiar English adaptation, which is celebrated for its powerful message of redemption and social justice.