Christian Holidays and Feasts Trivia

1. The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul falls after Epiphany but before Ash Wednesday in the Western church. What day is it?

From Quiz Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

Answer: January 25

The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul is held on January 25. Epiphany falls on January 6. The earliest day that Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, can fall is February 4. March 17 is St. Patrick's Day, and March 25 is, in the Catholic church, a day of solemnity - the Annunciation of the Lord.

From Quiz All Saints' Day

Answer: November 1

In Roman Catholicism, All Saints' Day falls on November 1st and is dedicated to all the saints of the church who have attained the beatific vision (i.e. heaven). The November 1 date was solidified as a church practice throughout the Frankish Empire (which would become the Holy Roman Empire) by Pope Gregory IV in the 9th century.

From Quiz Candlemas

Answer: the purification of Mary

Candlemas is known by different names in various denominations, including the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, and the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It commemorates the purification of Mary and Jesus's presentation in the temple. The feast is traditionally called Candlemas or Candlemass in Northern Europe, as candles are typically blessed at this time before being used for the rest of the year. In some churches, a long procession with lighted candles marks the occasion, symbolizing that Christ is a light to the Gentiles.

From Quiz The Feast of Pentecost

Answer: The birth of the church

Pentecost commemorates the birth of the church. The moment of this birth is thought to have occurred when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and other diverse followers of Jesus and they began to speak in tongues, such that every man could hear them speaking in their own languages.

From Quiz Holy Monday

Answer: Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Holy Monday falls the next day, during Holy Week, which also includes Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. In 1943, Holy Monday fell on April 19th. This was the latest date of any Holy Monday in the 20th century. The earliest Holy Monday fell in any year was on March 17th in 1913.

From Quiz Saint Nicholas Day

Answer: Myra

St. Nicholas was the 4th century Bishop of Myra in what is now modern-day Turkey. He was of Greek decent and many legends of miracles grew up around him. Myra was an ancient Greek and then a Roman town which eventually became the Turkish town of Demre.

From Quiz Epiphany: History, Hymns, and Traditions

Answer: The visit of the magi to the Christ child

The Feast of Epiphany in the Western church is a commemoration of the visit of the magi (or wise men) to the Christ child after following his star to find him. This in turn represents the physical manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles, as the magi were not Jewish. The story of the magi is told in the Gospel of Matthew.

From Quiz Biblical Easter

Answer: Good Friday

Christians believe that Jesus died for the sins of all in God's all-inclusive glorious love plan. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have (abundant) eternal life." - NIV Bible

From Quiz "Tis the Season

Answer: December 25 through January 5

Although commercial shopping and secular festivities typically begin around the end of November (near American Thanksgiving) and continue until Christmas Eve, the true Christmas season begins at midnight on the 24th and continues for twelve days, ending on January 5. Still known by many as "the twelve days of Christmas", the celebration honors the birth of Jesus and the period immediately following His arrival.

From Quiz Easter Bible Passion

Answer: Babylonian goddess' name or the Germanic word for "sunlight"

Most likely, two of the strongest possibilities for the derivation of the word Easter are either from ancient Assyrian "Ishtar" or from the Germanic (Saxon) word for "white" or "sunshine" - Ostern/Eostre/Eastre. In either event, Paganism played a role in the name. If Ishtar, the Babylonian (Assyrian) goddess, is the source of the name Easter, then she was the goddess of love, war, sex, and fertility, and her cult involved a so-called "sacred sexuality." If the Saxon derivation is correct, this could be a result of the spread of that culture into Europe. The Saxon word, Ostern (Eastern), referring to sunrise may have influenced the name as well. Easter was originally a Pagan festival of the Spring Equinox, a time of fertility worship. These celebrations were encountered by early missionaries. Rather than attempting to squelch or eradicate the festival entirely, they simply introduced Christian beliefs into the festive season, much as what had been done with the Christmas season, with its Pagan roots and practices. These were reluctantly adopted and "improved" upon by the early church. Looking at the festival of Easter in this way, it is easy to see how the incongruous symbols of fertility of Easter eggs, bunnies, chicks and all sorts of other pagan practices that are associated with Easter exist right alongside the Christian belief of the resurrection of Christ. The following sources were used in construction of this question; The Berean Chronicles; The Catholic Encyclopedia; the Greek Septuagint; and The Church of God Daily Bible Study. Question by logcrawler

From Quiz Holy Week

Answer: The week before Easter

Holy Week is the last week of Lent, just before Easter, and focuses on Jesus' final days on earth before his resurrection, which is celebrated on Easter Sunday. It is a time of preparation for Easter in which worshippers take active part in the Gospel story through symbolic rituals and the hearing of pertinent Scriptures.

From Quiz Lent

Answer: Clean Monday

In Greece, for example, Clean Monday is celebrated with dancing, throwing colored flour, and flying kites. Clean Monday is also observed by some Eastern Rite Catholic Churches.

From Quiz The Church Calendar

Answer: Advent

Advent is the season preceding Christmas and is four Sundays long. Therefore, to calculate the date of church year's beginning, count four Sundays prior to Christmas. This can include Christmas Eve when it falls on a Sunday. Advent can begin in either November or December. Many churches mark the passing of Advent with a wreath of four candles, lighting a new candle with each Sunday. The fourth Sunday of Advent should have all four candles lit. Traditionally there are three purple candles and one pink candle. The pink candle is lit for the third Sunday. Some churches now use all blue candles.

From Quiz Ascension Day

Answer: Three: the Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian Creeds

The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are used regularly in liturgy; the use of the Athanasian Creed is much less common, although it is used by some Lutherans and Anglicans on Trinity Sunday.

From Quiz The Feast of the Epiphany

Answer: The Bible does not say

The tradition that there were three arises from the three gifts that were given to the Holy Family.

From Quiz All Saints' Day

Answer: Eastern Orthodox

Eastern Orthodox, some Eastern Catholic, and Byzantine Lutheran churches celebrate All Saints' Day on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Pentecost falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter, which falls later in the Eastern church than in the Western church. In 2020, All Saints' Day fell on June 14 in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

From Quiz Holy Week: Maundy Thursday

Answer: Love one another.

After telling his disciples that he will be with them "only a little longer" and that "where I am going, you cannot come," Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:33-34). It is only after his resurrection that Jesus tells his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, "baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

From Quiz Candlemas

Answer: February 2

Candlemas is an annual holy day falling on February 2. January 6 Is Epiphany, and February 14 is St. Valentine's Day. To fulfill the requirements of the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary entered the temple forty days after the birth of Jesus. Thus, this feast falls on the fortieth day after Christmas. In the Anglican church and Swedish and Finnish Lutheran churches, it may be observed instead on the nearest Sunday to February 2.

From Quiz The Feast of Pentecost

Answer: Acts

The story of the Holy Spirit descending upon the followers of Jesus occurs in Acts chapter two. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting... And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, because every man heard them speaking in his own language" (Acts 2:1-6, 21st century KJV).

From Quiz Holy Tuesday and Holy Wednesday

Answer: A bridegroom

The parable occurs in Matthew 25: 1-13, which is also one of the lectionary readings for the day in the Roman Catholic church. The parable is a metaphor for being prepared for the coming of Christ. Ten virgins (or bridesmaids) await a bridegroom, but only five are prepared and have enough oil for their lamps. The other five lamps go out. The unprepared (foolish) virgins ask to borrow oil from the prepared (wise) virgins but are denied: "But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he replied, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour" (Matthew 25: 9-12, NRSV).

From Quiz Holy Monday

Answer: The third day of Holy Week

In the Eastern Orthodox church, Holy Week begins with Lazarus Saturday rather than Palm Sunday, so Holy Monday is actually the third rather than the second day of Holy Week. Lazarus Saturday commemorates the day when Jesus rose Lazarus (the brother of Mary and Martha) from the dead as depicted in John chapter 11.

From Quiz Holy Saturday

Answer: The Apostle's Creed

The new English translation of the texts of the Roman Catholic Mass translate the Apostles' Creed as follows: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell.... Other English translations say he "descended to the dead." The Athanasian Creed also mentions Christ's descent into hell, though the Nicene Creed does not. Certain Bible verses are also used to support the tradition of Christ's descent into Hell, including 1 Peter 4:6 ("the gospel [was] preached also to them that are dead ") and Ephesians 4:9, which says Jesus "descended into the lower parts of the earth" (KJV). In tradition, Jesus is said to have released the captives of Hell, including the faithful patriarchs and Adam and Eve. The doctrine of the Harrowing of Hell is taught in the Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, and Orthodox traditions but is rejected by some Christian denominations on the basis of not being sufficiently biblical. Holy Saturday also commemorates the day Jesus's body lay in the tomb.

From Quiz Epiphany: History, Hymns, and Traditions

Answer: The baptism of Jesus

Eastern Christianity also celebrates Epiphany as Jesus's manifestation to the Gentiles, but in this case, the pivotal event in which Jesus shows himself to the whole world is during his baptism in the River Jordan. In that event, the Holy Trinity is revealed as Jesus is called "my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17) by God and the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove. The celebration is called The Feast of the Holy Theophany.

From Quiz Advent

Answer: Sunday

In Catholicism and many Protestant liturgical traditions (such as the Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches), Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. In 2019, this was December 1, but it sometimes falls as early as November 27 or as late as December 3.

From Quiz Biblical Easter

Answer: Lent

Lent is a 40-weekday (except Sundays) period modeled on Jesus' 40-day fast in the desert. Holy Week is the last week of Lent or the week before Easter from Palm Sunday till Easter eve.

From Quiz "Tis the Season

Answer: Ordinary Time

The word "ordinary" refers to the fact that weeks are numbered (ordinal numbers) and is not meant to imply that the time of year between Easter and Christmas is mundane or uneventful. During this season, lessons and church activities focus on Christ's time here on Earth, with focus on day to day life in the Christian faith. Some churches also refer to the period just after the Christmas season as Ordinary Time, while others number those weeks with respect to the Feast of the Epiphany.

From Quiz Easter Bible Passion

Answer: He referred to one who had dipped his bread in the dish with Christ

Jesus then prophesied that he, Christ, would die and how horrible it would be for the man that betrayed him. Judas then said: "Surely, teacher, you don't mean me?" Jesus answered, "So you say." (Matthew 26:25 GNB) Question by aclb

From Quiz Ash Wednesday

Answer: 46

Counting Sundays, Ash Wednesday falls 46 days before Easter. We speak of the "40 days of Lent" because Sundays are not typically counted in Lent. This also leaves us with a number that is symbolic of the 40 days Christ spent fasting in the wilderness.

From Quiz Lent

Answer: Ashes

This signifies the belief that during Lent, Catholics are to become ever more conscious of the need to reform one's own life and to repent for sins. During the Ash Wednesday Mass, the Old Testament reading is Joel 2:12-18: "Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning..." Although Lent begins with this somber tone, it prepares the faithful for the joy of Easter. In some Eastern Rite Catholic churches, ashes are distributed on Monday of the first week.

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