Preparing the Way of the Lord:
An Advent Quiz
1. Who said. “Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour”?
2. Why did the child leap in Elizabeth’s womb?
3. What was the name of that child?
4. What name did the neighbors want to give Elizabeth’s son?
5. Why did they want that name?
6. Who was the Roman Emperor who decreed a census should be taken?
7. Complete the sentence: “Today in the town of David a saviour…”
8. To whom did the angel speak that sentence?
9. Who said “My soul magnifies the Lord”?
10. To whom was it said?
11. Which of the 4 Gospels gives details about the shepherds at Bethlehem?
12. Which of the Gospels tells us about the wise men?
13. Who was the King who interviewed the wise men?
14. Which of the Gospels begins: “A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son
of Abraham”?
15. Who was the father of Joseph?
16. Which great Prophet is quoted with the words: “A virgin will conceive…”?
17. Which of the Gospels gives us that quotation?
ABOUT CHRISTMAS CAROLS
18. Can you give the second line of “Come, come, come to the manger…”?
19. What is the English version of Adeste Fideles?
20. “_________! Of noblest cities.
None can once with thee compare;
Thou alone the Lord for heaven
Didst for us incarnate bear.”
21. How is a priest called Joseph Mohr remembered at Christmastime?
22. Why would his friend. Franz Gruber, be remembered also?
23. Which carol has the words:
“Yet, in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight”?
24. What “came upon the midnight clear”?
25. Complete the line: “Once __ __ __ city stood a lowly cattle shed”.
26. Why need nothing dismay the merry gentlemen?
27. Who said: “He who sings well, prays twice”?
DAYS TO REMEMBER IN ADVENT
28. Can you name the great feast of Mary on December 8th?
29. What has the feast got to do with the South of France?
30. Who is the brother of St. Peter whose feast we celebrate on November 30th?
31. Of which country is the brother of St. Peter patron Saint?
32. Can you name the patron saints of England, Ireland and Wales?
33. December 6th is the feast of someone closely associated with Christmas. Who
is it?
34. Name the Jesuit missionary who died on his way from Goa to China in 1552.
Feast on December 3rd.
35. Can you name the saint who had 6 children and went on to found a religious
order? Feast day is December 12th.
36. Elected Bishop of Milan by popular acclaim he is one of the great teachers of
the faith. Who is he? Feast on December 7th.
37. One of the early Christian martyrs was born in Syracuse. Who could that be?
Feast on December 13th.
38. Friend of Teresa of Avila, celebrated spiritual writer and reformer. Feast on
December 14th. Who is it?
39. Who wrote “The Ascent of Mount Carmel”?
LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURES AT CHRISTMAS
40. Who was the governor of Syria when Jesus was born?
41. Why were the shepherds terrified?
42. Who said: “For there is a child born for us, a son given to us”?
43. What “has made salvation possible for the whole human race”?
44. What sign were the shepherds to look for?
45. Who said of the child born for us: “Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, EternalFather, Prince-of-Peace”?
46. Where do we hear the words: “With justice he will rule the world, he will judge
the peoples with his truth”?
47. What town in Galilee did Joseph set out from?
48. What was a great throng of the heavenly host singing?
FINALLY JUST FOR FUN
49. What were the first Christmas puddings made of?
50. What was generally the main course at Christmas dinner before the turkey
became ‘traditional’?
HOW DID YOU DO?
40-50 is extremely good so give yourself an extra helping of Christmas pudding;
30-40 is very good; 20-30 shows fair familiarity with the Scriptures and the
Advent season; 10-20 maybe you need to take a closer look at the Bible; 1-10
and you’d be well advised to start reading your Bible right away—and no extra
pudding!
ANSWERS TO THE ADVENT QUIZ
1. The angel Gabriel
2. Mary the Mother of Jesus greeted Elizabeth
3. John the Baptist
4. Zechariah
5. It was his father’s name
6. Caesar Augustus
7. Has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord
8. The shepherds
9. The virgin Mary
10. To Elizabeth her cousin
11. According to Luke
12. According to Matthew
13. Herod
14. According to Matthew
15. Jacob
16. Isaiah
17. According to Matthew
18. Children come to the children’s King
19. O come all ye faithful
20. Bethlehem
21. He wrote the Carol “Silent Night”
22. He composed the music for “Silent Night”
23. O little town of Bethlehem
24. “That glorious song of old”
25. in royal David’s
26. For Jesus Christ our Saviour was born on Christmas Day
27. St. Augustine
28. The Immaculate Conception
29. This was the title of Our Lady given to Bernadette at Lourdes in the south of
France
30. St. Andrew
31. Scotland
32. St. George, St. Patrick and St. David
33. St. Nicholas
34. St. Francis Xavier
35. St. Jane Frances de Chantal
36. St. Ambrose
37. St. Lucy
38. St. John of the Cross
39. St. John of the Cross
40. Quirinius
41. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone
round them
42. The Prophet Isaiah
43. God’s grace has been revealed
44. A baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger
45. The Prophet Isaiah
46. The responsorial psalm: Psalm 95
47. Nazareth
48. “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to those who enjoy God’s
favour”
49. beef, raisins and prunes making a “plum porridge”
50. goose, chicken and roast beef
Taken from “Advent , A Quality Storecupboard” by Redemptorist Publications; Newmedia. The
Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer