Q.1
The symbol of Christian faith can variously be a crucifix ('with a little man on it', as one rather insensitive souvenir shop-keeper allegedly once offered to a young pilgrim 'at the same price as the one without' ... ) or a plain 'empty' cross, which is simpler, more elegant ~ and expresses the belief that Jesus conquered death and left it behind, even after undergoing it in one of its most barbaric forms. Almost incredibly, there are some devotees (other than 'mere' Passion Play actors), almost 2,000 years on from the historic event on the hill outside Jerusalem, who put themselves through a form of crucifixion, usually also on Good Friday and clearly not right to the point of death. Who, and where, are the most well-known examples of these?
  • Pious Filipinos, without the official approval of their local Catholic church
  • Trainee priests in the Catalan region of Spain
  • American Evangelicals and/or members of extreme local sects, in some more isolated enclaves of the USA
  • African revivalists in the sub-Saharan region (where formerly there was French colonial rule and cultural Catholicism)
Q.2
If you had been alive, and perhaps growing up, in England during the 1650s you would probably not have celebrated Christmas: why?
  • There were wars and plagues going on ~ and people in general avoided any form of festivity because they believed it inappropriate to the tough times, and likely not to encourage God to make life any easier if they treated the Christmas date with any frivolity
  • The Puritans were in charge, who banned all Christmas celebrations as 'popish' (i.e. Catholic, and hence not belonging in British life)
  • Priests did not allow people to carry on any form of ritual celebration or party in their homes; there would only be a simple, dignified service in some churches
  • There was too much poverty and sickness, and nobody had the energy or resources to celebrate
Q.3
Why, and since when, has Santa Claus been established as wearing a red coat?
  • It seems he has always been shown thus; nobody knows quite why nor since when.
  • The red-coated Santa came in with colour printing of books, cards etc in the Victorian period (mid-C19th +; the Penny Post, for instance, having been introduced in 1840)
  • The now universally-recognised colour-scheme appeared in magazines and advertisements for refreshments in the earliest decades of the 20th century
  • The red 'livery', with white detail, was a blatant case of commercial muscling-in by the Coca Cola company during the post-Depression years of the 1930s
Q.4
A group of people has assembled at a (probably fairly traditional) place of worship. A smart car arrives, and the one person they have been waiting for is brought into the church which has been tastefully decorated with flowers. The assembled people sing , and, later, (or, equally possibly, ). After the service the congregation re-emerges for a few photographs, watches the smart car depart again, and comments on what a lovely service it was. What form of service, probably, was it?
  • A wedding
  • A funeral
  • A baptism
  • A confirmation
Q.5
What is the annual feast day at which the 'Galette des Rois' ('King-cake') is widely eaten in the French-speaking world and elsewhere?
  • The feast-day of Christ the King
  • Ascension Day
  • Epiphany
  • Whit Sunday / Pentecost
Q.6
When a robed priest has performed and declared a marriage, it is customary for him or her to wrap a part of his/her vestments around the joined hands ~ and rings ~ of the new couple, before pronouncing, 'That which God has joined together, let no man put asunder' (or near equivalent words). What part of the priestly vestments is used for this purpose?
  • The alb
  • The cassock
  • The stole
  • The belt
Q.7
Why is it considered a good omen if a baby responds, during its baptism ceremony, by making a lot of noise?
  • The child may well turn into a vociferous and unflinching Christian
  • Such crying is known as 'letting the Devil out'
  • The child may be showing signs of ability and keenness to join a church choir later in life
  • The baby can't be expected to respond in a fully linguistic way, but a good loud wail is the next-best signal of encouragement
Q.8
John Betjeman (him again! That astute observer of church matters, architecture, customs and attenders) wrote another shrewd and much-loved seasonal poem about how many people only come occasionally to worship. His (1954) laments: ' ( ... ) All the same, it's strange to me How very full the church can be With people I don't see at all Except at ... ' [Which annual church event?]
  • ... the St Valentine's Ball
  • ... Bingo in the Hall
  • ... Harvest Festival
  • ... Saints Peter and Paul
Q.9
St Valentine's Day has been honoured for over 1500 years (since 496; so, pretty well the exact latter three-quarters of the Christian era) ~ on 14 February, which is the day when Valentine was martyred on the outskirts of Rome. What else is known about him?
  • Nothing whatever
  • He wrote an influential mystic treatise on the Scriptural image of 'the Church as the Bride of Christ'
  • He was a priest who was murdered for having secretly married a young Christian couple, who were in love despite their parents' disapproval (somewhat 'Romeo-&-Juliet' style)
  • He proclaimed that 'the Love of the Lord' was the supreme ideal, and was stoned to death by a group who disagreed with his preaching
Q.10
Apart from the obvious urge to share 'nice things' with people we love at an otherwise fairly miserable time of the year, why do we traditionally give Christmas presents?
  • To score subtle 'points' among our family and friends for offering the most expensive / wacky / original gift
  • Because 'God gave the supreme gift of His only Son', and what we do in response to that is the best we can fairly manage
  • To remind ourselves and each other that some 'family time', and gifts beyond the everyday, are an important part of the higher nature of human life
  • To maintain appearances and support business and manufacturers
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