Holy Week: Maundy Thursday Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jesus predicted Thomas would doubt his resurrection

Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, the final meal that Jesus shared with his disciples during Passover. At this meal, he instituted the practice of communion, washed his disciples' feet, predicted Judas would betray him, and predicted Peter would deny him three times.

The story of the Last Supper is told in all four canonical gospels, though John's account does not include the institution of communion (it does include the foot washing). The story may be found in Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-39, and John 13:1-17:26.

In addition to the three synoptic gospels, Jesus's institution of the Lord's Supper is also recorded in Paul's letter to the Corinthians, which was written before the gospels:

"That the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11: 22-26).

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).

Answer: Syriac Orthodox

This is also the term used by the Marionite Church (an Eastern Catholic church). The Syriac Orthodox Church in India is informally known as the Jacobite church. It's an autonomous Oriental Orthodox church that branched off from the Church of Antioch.

This day is called "Maundy Thursday" by many denominations. Catholics and Methodist might also call it "Holy Thursday," but Anglicans use that term for Ascension Day. The Coptic Orthodox Church calls it "Covenant Thursday." In the Eastern Orthodox Church, this day is called "Great and Holy Thursday."

Answer: Shere Thursday

Shere is also sometimes spelled sheer. The origin of the term is unknown, but several theories have been posited. It comes perhaps from the washing of feet that occurs on this day ("clean"), or the change in liturgical colors that happens in some churches (from dark to bright), or from the custom of shearing the beard on this day.

Answer: Seventh-Day Adventist

Adventists traditionally take communion four times a year. This foot washing part of the service is called "the ordinance of humility" in the Adventist church and occurs before communion. In John 13:13-15, Christ sets the example:

"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (NIV).

Although not always practiced routinely before communion throughout the year, foot washing is a common practice in many churches on Maundy Thursday. The foot washing rite may be called the Pedelavium, or "the Maundy," or simply "The Washing of Feet," depending on the church.

Answer: A bishop washes the feet of twelve priests

Traditionally, a metropolitan bishop washes the feet of twelve priests, just as Jesus washed the feet of his twelve disciples. In a monastery, the abbot will perform the foot washing on twelve of his brothers. In other Christian traditions, parishioners may wash each other's feet on this day, or the priest may wash the feet of the parishioners.

Answer: To beg

The term "maundy" is thought by some to come from the Latin word mandatum, or "commandment" and to allude to Jesus's words: "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another" (John 13:34, KJV).

There is another theory, however. The English language was deeply influenced by French due to the Norman Conquest. Some speculate that "mendier" (French for "to beg") is the source for the term "maund," a small basket held out by beggars in hopes of receiving money. On Maundy Thursday, "maundsor baskets" were traditionally given to the poor by the monarch. This tradition dates back to King Edward I.

Answer: Green Thursday

"Grün" is German for "green" and "Donnerstag" is German for Thursday. While the origin of the term is not firmly known, according to Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, there was a custom of eating green salad on this day, which has been posited as the source of the name. Alternatively, it may allude to the green vestments worn in some parts of Germany on Maundy Thursday.

Answer: hungry

The song continues:

"Eat this Bread, drink this Cup.
Trust in Me and you will not thirst.
I am the Bread of Life,
the true Bread sent from the Father."

Jacques Berthier was a French composer who wrote this song and many others used in the Taizé Community, an ecumenical Christian monastic community in Burgundy, France. The song, which was composed in 1983, has become popular in churches of many different denominations.

Answer: Claude Monet

James Tissot painted his "Last Supper" sometimes between 1886 and 1894. His painting depicts the disciples reclining on couches as they eat their meal.

Dagnan-Bouveret's 1896 "Last Supper" shows Jesus standing at the center of the table, illuminated and holding the cup.

The most famous depiction of the Last Supper is Leonardo da Vinci's late 15th century mural painting in Milan.

Some have speculated that Vincent Van Gogh even hid a depiction of the Last Supper in his painting "Café Terrace at Night."