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Ascension Day Trivia Quiz

The Feast of the Ascension is one of the great feasts of the Christian Year. It celebrates the bodily ascension of Jesus into Heaven. It has been kept on a Thursday, the fortieth day after Easter, since at least the 5th Century and perhaps earlier.

A multiple-choice quiz by FatherSteve. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
FatherSteve

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
309,796

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
938

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Question 1 of 10

1. In how many and which of the historic creeds of the Church is the Ascension affirmed? Hint

Two: the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds

Three: the Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian Creeds

None: the Creeds were concerned with theological, not historical, matters

Two: the Nicene and Athanasian

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is the liturgical colour most often associated with Ascension Day in the Western Church? Hint

Green

Purple

Red

White

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Question 3 of 10

3. Is the Feast of the Ascension always and everywhere observed on the 40th day after Easter? Hint

No, sometimes it is celebrated on June 15.

No, sometimes it is kept on the 7th Sunday of Easter.

Yes, as this is the historically accurate date.

No, sometimes it is kept on the 49th day after Easter.

4. Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus, a 5th Century poet and bishop, wrote a poem entitled "Salve, festa dies" which has been variously translated. Versions of this hymn are sung on Easter Day, Ascension Day and Pentecost. Which of the following lines is sung on Ascension? Hint

Day when our Lord was raised / Breaking the kingdom of death.

Day when our risen Lord / Rose in the heavens to reign.

Day when the Holy Ghost / Shone in the world full of grace.

Day when our God showed forth / The power of His mighty hand.

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Question 5 of 10

5. How did Ascension Island, located in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, get its name? Hint

It was named by botanists after the fern Pteris adscensionis which grows there.

It was discovered in 1503 by Alphonse d'Albuquerque on Ascension Day.

It was named after Mount Ascension, the volcanic peak responsible for its existence.

NASA named it because of the powerful radar array located there to track the ascent of rockets launched from the southeastern United States.

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Question 6 of 10

6. The Gospel according to Saint Luke says the Ascension occurred in the vicinity of Bethany (Luke 24:50-51). Where does the Acts of the Apostles say it happened? Hint

Mount Sinai

Galilee

The Mount of Olives

Mount Zion

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Question 7 of 10

7. In which of Shakespeare's plays does a character speak the following lines? "Is this Ascension-day? Did not the prophet say that before Ascension-day at noon my crown I should give off? Even so I have: I did suppose it should be on constraint: But, heaven be thank'd, it is but voluntary."
Hint

Richard II

King John

Richard III

Henry V

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Question 8 of 10

8. There is a long-standing custom in England of "beating the bounds" on (or near) Ascension Day. What is involved? Hint

Pummeling everyone with the misfortune to have the surname of Bounds.

Processing around the parochial boundaries, pausing for prayer at particular landmarks.

Threshing stalks of wheat (and other grains) which have been bound together into stooks for drying in the fields.

Marking the limits of the field where cricket matches will be played during the summer.

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Question 9 of 10

9. Salvador Dali painted a painting called "The Ascension of Christ." What feature of Christ's body is most prominent in this painting? Hint

His head

His feet

His smile

His wounded side

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which of these Ascension Day food custom(s) is/are factual? Hint

Italians brought beans and grapes to the church to be blessed by the priest.

Armenians made dolmas -- stuffed grape leaves.

Amish in the United States went fishing.

All of these are actual Ascension Day customs.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In how many and which of the historic creeds of the Church is the Ascension affirmed?

Answer: Three: the Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian Creeds

The Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are used regularly in liturgy; the use of the Athanasian Creed is much less common, although it is used by some Lutherans and Anglicans on Trinity Sunday.

2. What is the liturgical colour most often associated with Ascension Day in the Western Church?

Answer: White

White is used in the West from Easter Day until the Eve of Pentecost when the liturgical colour changes to red.

3. Is the Feast of the Ascension always and everywhere observed on the 40th day after Easter?

Answer: No, sometimes it is kept on the 7th Sunday of Easter.

There is a trend, beginning in the last half of the 20th Century, to commemorate the Ascension on the Sunday next after the 40th day after Easter, when more people are likely to be in church.

Answer: Day when our risen Lord / Rose in the heavens to reign.

The English composer and hymn writer Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote the uplifting tune to which this hymn is most often sung.

5. How did Ascension Island, located in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, get its name?

Answer: It was discovered in 1503 by Alphonse d'Albuquerque on Ascension Day.

In 1815, Ascension Island was officially declared a "stone frigate" of the British Royal Navy with the name HMS Ascension, during the time that Napoleon I was imprisoned on nearby Saint Helena.

6. The Gospel according to Saint Luke says the Ascension occurred in the vicinity of Bethany (Luke 24:50-51). Where does the Acts of the Apostles say it happened?

Answer: The Mount of Olives

The Church has consistently upheld the Mount of Olives as the place from which Jesus ascended. There is a chapel (controlled by Muslims) on what is purported to be the very spot!

Answer: King John

The "prophet" to whom King John refers is Peter of Pomfret.

8. There is a long-standing custom in England of "beating the bounds" on (or near) Ascension Day. What is involved?

Answer: Processing around the parochial boundaries, pausing for prayer at particular landmarks.

Beating the bounds in Oxford is a particularly interesting event as many of the parochial boundaries are located inside of commercial buildings erected over them.

9. Salvador Dali painted a painting called "The Ascension of Christ." What feature of Christ's body is most prominent in this painting?

Answer: His feet

Dali said that the inspiration for this depiction came to him in a cosmic dream eight years before he painted it.

10. Which of these Ascension Day food custom(s) is/are factual?

Answer: All of these are actual Ascension Day customs.

In the Northern Hemisphere, many Ascension Day food customs are associated with first fruits -- the crops that produce early in springtime.

Source: Author FatherSteve

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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