Born on this day in 1779, Beethoven was baptized Catholic but didn't practice his religion. Despite that, he wrote two Masses, and received the last sacraments prior to his death in 1827.
During World War I, German prisoner-of-war camps were established in Japan. On June 1, 1918, the German prisoners suprised their captors by staging the first performance o Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on Japanese soil.
Following the war, many German prisoners remained in Japan and developed strong friendships and ties to the community. After the Germans were repatriated and left Japan to return to Europe, the Japanese people began playing the Ninth Symphony in their memory.
The tradition of singing "Ode to Joy" during December (and especially on New Year's Eve) soon spread throughout Japan.
- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw