Easter Trivia Quiz: Easter was celebrated by the pagans long before it became a Christian day of celebration. See if you can answer the questions pertaining to this ancient celebration of the coming of spring.
Easter Trivia Quiz For Students:
Easter – and its decorative eggs, delicious hams, and cheerful baskets – are coming up sooner than you think. The Christian holiday will fall on April 4 this year. While the central story may sound familiar, there’s a lot left to learn about the unique traditions surrounding this special Sunday. Between the cute bunny rabbits and copious amounts of chocolate, the celebration has evolved over the years with a whole host of customs both new and old.
Quiz: Easter Trivia Quiz
Fun Facts About Easter
- Question 1 of 11
1.
How many days are there in the Lenten season, the period of penance and fasting preceding Easter Sunday?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “c”. Though the number of days has varied over time, today, technically, there are 44 days in the Lenten season, which officially begins on Ash Wednesday and runs until Maundy Thursday. But, since the Roman Catholic Church forbids fasting and other acts of penance on Sundays, the six Sundays are not included in the count, making a total of 38 days of fasting and penance. Add Good Friday and Holy Saturday and you end up with a total of 40 days.
- Question 2 of 11
2.
Eggs dyed which color were once given to children on Easter Sunday in the belief that they would protect them from bad luck throughout the following year?
Correct!
Wrong! The correct answer is “a”. Hard-boiled eggs were dyed red in memory of Christ’s blood, then were given to children to be kept as a talisman for good health.
- Question 3 of 11
3.
At Maundy Thursday church services in some countries, priests will perform what task in remembrance of what Jesus did at the Last Supper?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “a”. Several Christian denominations observe the ritual of the washing of the feet in memory of what Jesus’ washing of the apostles’ feet at the Last Supper.
- Question 4 of 11
4.
In some European countries, it is traditional to have large bonfires on Easter Eve. What is burned at these fires?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “d”. Some countries keep the tradition of “Judas fires” where effigies of Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Christ to his enemies, are burned.
- Question 5 of 11
5.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that certain activities should never be performed on Good Friday as they would bring bad luck. Which of the following tasks were to be avoided on Good Friday?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “b”. Doing laundry on Good Friday was said to be unlucky because Christ cursed Good Friday washing after he was slapped in the face by a wet garment while being led to his crucifixion. It was believed that clothes washed on Good Friday would never come clean or would come out spotted with blood.
- Question 6 of 11
6.
In England, hot cross buns are traditional fare on Good Friday. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that breads and buns baked on Good Friday would never go moldy, and buns baked on this date possessed certain magical properties. They were kept as a talisman from one Good Friday to the next because people thought they would …
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “d”. Hot cross buns baked on Good Friday were believed to protect against fire, misfortune, and shipwreck as well as keeping rats from getting in the grain. People also believed that they possessed curative properties, and would grate them into a fine powder to mix with milk or water to relieve stomach ailments.
- Question 7 of 11
7.
Where did the name Easter come from?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “b”. The term Easter, which is never mentioned in the Bible, comes from the name of the pagan goddess of spring and fertility known as Eostre, Eostur, Eastar, Ostara, or Ostar.
- Question 8 of 11
8.
The tradition of the Easter Bunny, a rabbit who lays colored eggs for children to find Easter morning, began in which European country?
Good Job!
Wrong! Correct answer is “d”.
- Question 9 of 11
9.
In the Middle Ages in England, servants were given the day off on Mothering Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent. Many of them would return home on that day to visit their mothers. It was the tradition at the time for servant girls to prepare which food to bring along as a gift?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “c”. Servant girls would bake simnel cakes, a type of fruit cake, to bring home to their mothers on Mothering Sunday.
- Question 10 of 11
10.
In some countries, Shrove Tuesday is celebrated by preparing a particular dish made with ingredients that Christians are not allowed to consume during Lent. What is it?
Correct!
Wrong! The correct answer is “b”.
- Question 11 of 11
11.
In Australia, rabbits are viewed as pests because of the extensive damage they have caused to land, crops and vegetation. Australians prefer to use another animal which is native to the continent as a symbol of Easter. What is it?
Correct!
Your answer is wrong! The correct answer is “a”. Although the Easter Bunny is still quite popular ‘Down Under’, a campaign has begun to replace him with the Easter Bilby.
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Before you sit down for a delicious brunch or entertain the kids with some Easter crafts, take a moment to learn about this holiday’s rich background, including its special foods, superstitions, and symbols. Then impress your family and friends with a little Easter trivia that explains the little-known origins behind your favorite traditions.
Easter baskets have special symbolism: Easter Trivia Quiz
The woven containers represent nests and new life, especially when filled to the brim with eggs. Plus, they’re a pretty utilitarian way to collect goodies on your Easter egg hunt.
There’s a reason you probably eat ham for Easter dinner
Historically, most early Easter celebrants would have eaten lamb for this special occasion as the holiday has its roots in Jewish Passover. Most American Easter dinners now feature ham, however, because of the timing of the holiday. Years ago, hams cured over the winter months would have been ready to serve in the early spring.
Easter lilies are a relatively new tradition
These beautiful blooms first originated in Japan and later arrived in England in the late 18th century. The U.S. only caught onto the trend after World War I. The transition from dormant bulbs to delicate flowers brings to mind hope and rebirth, two important themes of the day.
Easter eggs had a medieval twist: Easter Trivia Quiz
Think Easter egg hunts are odd? Listen to this medieval game children’s game: The priest would give one of the choir boys a hard boiled egg, and the boys would pass it amongst themselves until the clock struck midnight, when whoever was holding it then got to eat it. Sounds … fun?
Easter clothes used to be considered good luck.
Old superstition held that if you wore new clothes on Easter, you would have good luck for the rest of the year. In fact, it was so widely believed that upper-class New Yorkers would quite literally strut their stuff coming out of mass in beautiful and well-to-do Fifth Avenue churches. This tradition become the basis of the modern, and decidedly less elitist, Easter Parade and Easter Bonnet Festival in New York.