| Three Kings of Orient | |
|---|---|
 The Adoration of the Magi by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, about 1655–1660. Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo, Ohio. | |
| Genre | Christmas carol |
| Written | 1857 |
| Text | John Henry Hopkins Jr. |
| Based on | Matthew 2:1 |
| Meter | 8.8.4.4.6 with refrain |
| Melody | "Three Kings of Orient" by John Henry Hopkins Jr. |
| Published | 1863 |
"We Three Kings", original title "Three Kings of Orient", also known as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi", is a Christmas carol that was written by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. At the time of composing the carol, Hopkins served as the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and he wrote the carol for a Christmas pageant in New York City. It was the first widely popular Christmas carol written in America.[1]
- ^ Storer, Doug (December 17, 1982). "America's first Christmas carol written in Huron". Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, Florida. p. 12B. Retrieved December 26, 2013.