What do you or your family know about Easter, and how it’s been celebrated over the years? 120 Easter questions, with the answers at the end.
Doing the whole quiz in one go might be a bit of a stretch, so the questions have been loosely categorised into 7 sections:
Biblical Easter questions – numbers 1-37
General Easter questions – numbers 38-60
Easter Edibles questions – numbers 61-69
Easter Egg questions – numbers 70-84
Easter Music & Movie questions – numbers 85-90
Easter Around The World questions – numbers 91-109
Easter Tradition questions – numbers 110-120
Quizmasters (or mistresses) should feel free to allow contestants some leeway where dates are concerned – i.e. to the nearest decade, or century, and with some numbers to the nearest million – if you’re feeling particularly generous.
Disclaimer – there is no guarantee that all answers are correct. Complaints about duplicated questions, incorrect or incomplete answers, and suggestions for acceptable alternative answers etc., should NOT be addressed to Swiss Bob, or to me for that matter. Please air your complaints, and discuss them with other knowledgeable Puffins in the comments!
Oh, and a very Happy Easter to all!
Questions
1. What is the 40 day period before Easter called?
2. What is the Sunday before Easter called?
3. Which day of Holy Week honours the Last Supper?
4. Which Christian holy day of prayer and fasting falls on the first day of Lent?
5. What is the Sunday before Easter Sunday called?
6. In Eastern Christianity, the end of Lent is called what?
7. Why is Palm Sunday so named?
8. In the Bible, what did Jesus and his apostles eat at the Last Supper?
9. At the Last Supper, which food did Jesus liken to his body?
10. Who betrayed Jesus just before his crucifixion?
11. How was Jesus betrayed?
12. How many pieces of silver did Jesus’ betrayer trade for the life of Jesus?
13. Who was the official who presided over the trial of Jesus for the crime of treason against the Roman Empire?
14. Which prisoner did the official release at the request of the Jews?
15. Who did the official send Jesus to for judgment?
16. Why did the Jews say Jesus should die after the official found no guilt in him?
17. What Jewish holiday was being celebrated the week of Jesus’ death and resurrection?
18. What colour robe was placed on Jesus?
19. Who was compelled by the Romans to carry the cross for Christ?
20. What was the name of the hill where Jesus was crucified?
21. The bible states that Jesus was scourged, which was the usual prelude to crucifixion under Roman law. What does the word scourged mean?
22. What did the soldiers place on Christ’s head at his crucifixion?
23. What of Christ’s belongings did the soldiers cast lots for?
24. What weapon was used to pierce Jesus’ side while on the cross?
25. What was written above the Cross?
26. When Jesus died, for how long was there darkness over the land?
27. Easter Sunday is also called what?
28. In what was Jesus’ body wrapped before he was buried?
29. What was the name of the man who requested Jesus’ body for burial?
30. In the Bible, how many days passed between Jesus’ death and resurrection?
31. Who was first to discover the tomb empty, and thus the Resurrection of Jesus?
32. Who rolled away the tombstone?
33. According to the Gospel of John, how many angels were inside the tomb?
34. Beside which sea did Jesus appear to his disciples after the resurrection?
35. Which disciple wanted to see the marks of the nails, and place his hand in Jesus side before he would believe in the Resurrection?
36. For how long did Jesus remain after his resurrection before he ascended into heaven?
37. Matthew’s gospel states that Jesus’ betrayer committed suicide. How did he do this?
38. In what century do we first have a record of Easter being celebrated?
39. In the 13th century, the church prohibited eating what during Holy Week?
40. Who or what is Easter named after?
41. In which ocean is Easter Island located?
42. Easter Island is part of which country?
43. How did Easter Island get its name?
44. Easter’s date is determined by what?
45. Each year, Easter is recognized on the first Sunday after what?
46. Easter Sunday is also called what?
47. Easter always falls between which two dates?
48. What is the name of the jeweller who decorated Easter eggs for royalty?
49. Besides bunnies, what animal is considered an Easter symbol?
50. What dance traditionally takes place at Easter?
51. What is the traditional flower of Easter?
52. What other flower blooms around Easter and is a symbol of spring?
53. In which century is the English tradition of wearing new clothes for Easter said to have originated?
54. A very fancy Easter Egg was sold in an auction in 2007 for a high price – but just how much did this egg go for?
55. In Britain, the Easter Act of 1928 was an attempt to do what?
56. In what country is dancing banned on Good Friday?
57. Do men or women wear Easter bonnets?
58. Where did the Easter bonnet originate from?
59. What colours are associated with Easter?
60. What type of newly hatched bird is a symbol of Easter?
61. What baked good is a Good Friday tradition in England?
62. What dried fruit is found in that baked good?
63. What do the spices in that baked good represent?
64. What does the symbol on that baked bun represent?
65. What German baked goods used to be associated with Easter?
66. What meat is traditionally eaten on Easter Sunday?
67. In England, what is the name of the fruitcake with marzipan balls traditionally served at tea time at Easter?
68. How many marzipan balls are traditionally on that cake?
69. Who or what do the marzipan balls on that cake represent?
70. What colour were the first Easter eggs dyed?
71. When Easter eggs were first dyed, that colour represented what?
72. What is the symbolism represented by an Easter egg?
73. What is another name for traditional Easter eggs?
74. When was the first recorded use of decorated Easter eggs?
75. When was the UK’s first chocolate Easter egg produced?
76. Where was the UK’s first chocolate Easter egg produced?
77. In which year did Cadbury’s produce their first chocolate Easter egg?
78. Which Christian movement were The Fry and Cadbury families members of?
79. Why do Easter eggs often have a crocodile or fish scale design on them?
80. When were Cadbury Creme Eggs introduced?
81. How many Cadbury’s Creme Eggs are made every year?
82. How many chocolate eggs does the average child in the UK receive every Easter?
83. How many Easter eggs are sold in the UK every year?
84. Where was the biggest Easter egg in the world created to date?
85. Which classical composer wrote the St. Matthew Passion?
86. Who wrote the song “Easter Parade?”
87. What garment was popularised by the song “Easter Parade?”
88. Who starred as Hannah Brown in the 1948 musical film Easter Parade?
89. Who directed the 2004 American biblical drama ‘The Passion of the Christ’?
90. What is the name of the 2011 animated movie all about a young rabbit who does not want to become the Easter Bunny?
91. Where is the most famous Easter parade held each year?
92. In Switzerland, what creature delivers Easter eggs to children?
93. While the Easter Bunny brings children eggs in the USA, what sort of creature delivers eggs in Westphalia, Germany?
94. What two games are traditionally played with Easter eggs?
95. What is the traditional Easter mascot in Australia?
96. Where is the largest Easter egg museum in the world?
97. How many eggs are in the Easter Egg Museum?
98. Where did the world’s largest Easter egg hunt take place?
99. What do Germans burn on the night before Easter?
100. In Hungary what does the tradition of ‘watering the girls’ involve?
101. Is Easter celebrated on the same day everywhere in the world?
102. Dyeing Easter eggs is a tradition that began in which country?
103. In what season does Easter take place in Australia?
104. What’s the most popular Easter candy in America?
105. When was the first White House Easter Egg Roll?
106. Which country first introduced an Easter egg tree?
107. Which country throws a massive water fight to celebrate Easter?
108. Who, or what, brings eggs to the French?
109. It is illegal to dance in public in Germany on Good Friday. True or false?
110. In what country did the tradition of the Easter bunny originate?
111. In countries including Greece, Mexico and Spain, what is burned during Easter bonfires?
112. Buying what for Easter is said to bring good luck for the rest of the year?
113. In England, when you dance between Easter eggs on a floor, it’s called what?
114. What festive day is celebrated on the last day before Lent begins?
115. When do Easter egg hunts traditionally take place?
116. A town in which country serves up a giant omelette from over 15,000 eggs on Easter Monday?
117. Which country refers to the Thursday before Easter as ‘Green Thursday’?
118. What do children in Finland dress up as for Easter?
119. Which island celebrates the start of Easter with a kite flying festival?
120. At Easter, the British monarch distributes small silver coins known as what?
Answers
1. Lent
2. Palm Sunday
3. Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday
4. Ash Wednesday
5. Palm Sunday
6. Lazarus Saturday
7. Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, greeted by people waving palm branches.
8. Bread and wine
9. Bread
10. Judas
11. With a kiss (from Judas).
12. 30
13. Pontius Pilate
14. Barabbas
15. Herod
16. He had declared himself the son of God.
17. Passover
18. Purple
19. Simon of Cyrene, although the Gospel of John states Jesus carried the cross himself.
20. Calvary, or Golgotha.
21. Whipped
22. A Crown of Thorns
23. His clothes
24. A spear
25. INRI. The initials of a Latin phrase meaning “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”, or “King of the Jews”.
26. Three hours.
27. Resurrection Day
28. Linen clothes
29. Joseph, of Arimathaea.
30. Three
31. Mary Magdalene
32. An angel.
33. Two – one where the head of Jesus had been and one at the feet.
34. The Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias.
35. Thomas
36. 40 days
37. He hung himself.
38. The 2nd Century AD, in written records.
39. Eggs
40. Easter is named after the Anglo-Saxon Goddess called Eostre, who was associated with light and fertility.
41. The Pacific
42. Chile
43. It was discovered on Easter Sunday in 1722.
44. The phases of the moon.
45. The first full moon on or after the spring equinox.
46. Resurrection Day
47. March 22 and April 25
48. Peter Carl Fabergé
49. A lamb
50. Morris dancing
51. A white lily
52. Daffodils
53. 16th century. Mentioned by Shakespeare in ‘Romeo & Juliet’, in Samuel Pepys’ diary
54. £8.9m. A Fabergé Easter egg sold at a London auction house for £8.9m.
55. Establish a set annual date for Easter.
56. Germany
57. Women
58. Europe
59. Purple and Yellow
60. A chick
61. Hot cross buns
62. Raisins
63. The spices that were used to embalm Christ after his death.
64. The cross on which Jesus Christ died.
65. Pretzels
66. Lamb
67. Simnel Cake
68. 11
69. Jesus’s 11 disciples (excluding Judas).
70. Red
71. The blood of Jesus Christ
72. Easter eggs symbolise Jesus’ resurrection. The hard shell represents the sealed tomb and the cracking of the egg represents Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
73. Paschal eggs
74. In the 13th century
75. 1873
76. In Bristol by J. S. Fry & Sons, Ltd.
77. 1875
78. The Quakers
79. To represent the fish traditionally eaten on Good Friday, although some believe it is simply to cover up imperfections on the surface of the chocolate.
80. 1963
81. 500 Million
82. 8.8 eggs
83. 80 million
84. Brazil, in February 2023. 16.72 metres (54 ft 10 inches) tall and 10.88 metres (35 ft 8 inches) in diameter.
85. Johann Sebastian Bach
86. Irving Berlin
87. Easter bonnets
88. Judy Garland
89. Mel Gibson
90. Hop
91. New York
92. A Cuckoo
93. A fox
94. Easter egg hunts and Easter egg rolls.
95. A Bilby
96. Poland (Muzeum Rolnictwa w Ciechanowcu)
97. More than 2,500
98. Florida. (501,000 eggs were searched for by 9,753 children on 1st April 2007).
99. Old Christmas trees.
100. Girls dress in traditional clothing, and boys throw a bucket of water over them. It’s thought to promote fertility.
101. No. Orthodox Easter is usually celebrated on a later date, calculated according to the Orthodox Church calendar.
102. Ukraine
103. Autumn
104. Marshmallow peeps
105. 1878
106. Germany
107. Poland
108. Flying church bells (Les Cloches de Pâques).
109. True! In 12 out of 16 German states, it is illegal to dance in public on Good Friday out of respect.
110. Germany
111. Effigies of Judas
112. New clothes
113. Hop-egging.
114. Mardi Gras
115. On Easter Sunday morning.
116. France (the town of Haux).
117. Germany (Gründonnerstag).
118. Witches
119. Bermuda
120. Maundy money (distributed on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday).
© NeverUpToTheJob 2024
