A Pilgrim's Journey Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cambodia

Angkor Wat is currently one of the main tourist attractions in Cambodia.

It was originally conceived as a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, and designed to represent Mount Meru. Towards the end of the 12th century, it gradually shifted to a Buddhist temple.

Its construction took around 28 years, and it covers a surface of 162.6 hectares (around 402 acres).

Answer: Jerusalem

The holy site is actually the Temple Mount, which is located in what is known as The Old City of Jerusalem, at the east of Jerusalem itself. While it is considered the most holy site for Judaism, it is also venerated by Christianity and Islam.

According to tradition, it is the place where the First and Second Jewish Temples once stood, and where, supposedly, the Third Temple will be built when the Messiah comes. The current location consists of a flat plaza, completely walled, which contains two major structures: the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Dome of the Rock.

The Western Wall (which is known by Christians as the "Wailing Wall", a term considered offensive by Jews) is the section that is closest to the presumed site of the Holy of Holies, which makes it the most holy place for prayer in the Jewish religion. The reason for this is that entrance to the Temple Mount is severely restricted, not only for political and security reasons, but also by the very Jewish religious law.

Answer: Mecca

The birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, Mecca is regarded as the holiest place in Islam. When praying, Muslims must face towards the direction of the Kaaba, built inside the Sacred Mosque of Mecca.

The Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca, and it's mandatory for all Muslims, as it is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. As stated in the question text, every Muslim must partake in this pilgrimage at least once in their lives, provided they are physically and financially capable of making the journey.

Answer: The Golden Temple

The Temple is part of a large religious complex in the city of Amritsar, India. The Temple sits in the centre of a big, almost square, man-made pool of water, which is believed to have restorative powers (leading to some people taking some of the water in bottles for sick relatives or friends).

It is built from marble and copper, and overlaid with gold leaf, giving it its distinct color. The temple has been rebuilt and restored several times, as it was the target of invading forces in the past.

In line with the Sikh views on equality, the Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all people, regardless of their faith, origins, or any kind of discrimination.

Answer: Vatican City

The Vatican City State was created in 1929 through the Lateran Treaty, an agreement between the Holy See and Italy. At only 0.49 square kilometers (0.19 sq mi), it is the smallest country in the world.

The territory is under "full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction" of the Holy See, the jurisdiction of the Pope as head of the Catholic Church. All other high state officials of the Vatican are part of the Catholic Clergy, and as another curiosity, it is the only country in the world where all its inhabitants practice only one religion.

Inside the Vatican City you can find the Vatican Museums, including the St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, all of them containing artistic works of great cultural significance.

Answer: Rastafari

The Rastafari movement originated in Jamaica during the 1930s decade, when Selassie was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia, which was interpreted as fulfilling a Biblical prophecy. Selassie has been regarded by Rastafarians as the Second Coming of Jesus, or the incarnation of Jah, their central deity. They consider Ethiopia, and actually the whole African continent, as the Promised Land.

The movement became very prominent after several reggae musicians wrote Rastafari-inspired works, most notably Bob Marley. Although its popularity declined from the '80s onward, it is still practiced in small groups around the world.

The Holy Trinity Cathedral was built in 1942 in commemoration of the Ethiopian victory over the Italian occupation. It serves as the burial ground for those who fought against the Italians, and also, as stated, for Selassie, his Empress Menen Asfaw, and other members of the Imperial family. The complex also includes a museum, a college, a monastery, primary and secondary schools, and it is the official seat of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Addis Ababa.

Answer: Varanasi

Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world: some excavations in the area revealed artifacts dated between 800 BCE and 1800 BCE.

According to mythology, a dispute between Shiva and Brahma ended with Shiva ripping off one of Brahma's five heads, and carried it around. He eventually dropped it in the location of the city, where it disappeared into the ground. For this reason, the place is considered very holy.

Aside from its religious significance, having many major temples and also known for its "ghats"(which are steps leading down to the river, where important rituals are performed), Varanasi is also considered an important cultural, educational and musical centre in India.

Answer: Baha'i

This complex is located in the city of Acre, Israel. It consists of a series of buildings including the mansion, used as Baha'u'llah's residence during his final years; one of the adjacent buildings, in which he was buried, and which serves as a shrine; and a beautiful set of gardens. The whole complex is a pilgrimage site for members of the Baha'i faith, and is also its Qiblih - the direction one must face when praying.

The Baha'i faith was founded in the 19th century, initially in Iran and the Middle East. They believe in the unity of all people, and of all religions, as they consider the founders of the major religions as messengers of the one and only God, bringing progressive revelations to humanity.

It is estimated that followers of this faith worldwide are between 5 and 8 millions. However, Baha'is are subject to heavy persecution by Muslim countries, where their beliefs are considered an apostasy to Islam.

Answer: Shintoism

Located in the namesake city, in the Mie Prefecture in Japan, the Ise Grand Shrine ("Ise Jingu") houses a total of 125 temples, but is centered on two of them: the Inner Shrine (known as "Naiku" or "Kotai Jingu"), that is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess in Shintoism; and the Outer Shrine (known as "Geku" or "Toyouke Daijingu"), which is dedicated to Toyouke-Omikami, god of agriculture.

The Inner Shrine is also believed to house the Sacred Mirror, part of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. Entrance to both of the main structures is strictly limited: visitors can only approach the gate of the fence that surrounds them but are not allowed inside. Photographs are also prohibited.

Answer: Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest faiths, with some sources dating it back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is based on the teaching of the prophet Zoroaster, and was the state religion for the ancient Iranian empires; currently, the number of followers is pretty small, with an estimate of 120,000 at most, the majority located in Iran and India.

Some of the concepts on which Zoroastrianism is based, such as monotheism, notions of heaven and hell, free will and judgement after death, may have influenced many of the major religious systems that came after it.

The Fire Temples have different grades, depending on the grade of the fire placed inside, with the highest being the Atash Behram. There are only nine Atash Behrams, with Yazd being the only one located in Iran - the other eight (including the Udvada Atash Behram, the most ancient of them) are located in India.