College Holy Week Quiz

1. What does "Pascha" mean?

• Passion

• Easter

• Passover

• Resurrection

Answer explanation

The Coptic Orthodox Church uses "Pascha" (Passover) to refer to all 6 days of Holy Week. The Eastern Orthodox Churches use "Pascha" only for the Feast of the Resurrection.

2. The Saturday before Holy Week is known as...

• Thomas Saturday

• Lazarus Saturday

• Bright Saturday

• Judas Saturday

Answer explanation

Lazarus Saturday hymns transition between the Fasting tune of the Great Fast and the joyful Hosanna tune of Palm Sunday, using the standard tune. Being on Saturday, it is a fasting day without abstaining and without prostrations.

3. On what day of Holy Week do we sing the hymn "Evlogimenos"?

• Covenant Thursday

• Good Friday

• Holy Wednesday

• Palm Sunday

Answer explanation

In Coptic history, the bishop of the area would ride the donkey to the door of the church on Palm Sunday.

4. If you have not started fasting yet, you should

• consume only bread and water

• not bother fasting

• take the fast seriously

• not participate in Holy Week services

Answer explanation

"How many Lents have passed by us with all the spirituality’s of the "Great Fast"? If we have gained some spiritual benefit from 75 every fast, what is our harvest from these "Great Fasts" and from the other fasts that we kept? The point is that, in fasting, we are in need of seriousness and spirituality and should not pursue the matter in a routine and careless manner." -HHPSIII

4. During the afternoon of Palm Sunday, we pray a service called

• General Procession

• General Funeral

• General Ordination

• General Consecration

Answer explanation

During Holy Week, the church focuses on the death of Christ. For that reason rather than the full rite of a funeral service, if someone dies during this week, prayers are recited for the deceased and the pascha service continues as usual as the body of the deceased attends the service. For this reason, a funeral service is carried out for the entire congregation after the Palm Sunday liturgy.

6. After the Divine Liturgy of Palm Sunday, what is traditionally draped through the church?

• Black cloth

• White ribbon

• Red flowers

• Purple shawls

Answer explanation

Black veils are draped everywhere to transfer the atmosphere into one of intense mourning so that we may participate in the Lord's sufferings. As St. Paul wrote, "that I may know Him and the power of His Resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings." (Philippians 3:10)

7. Why do we sit in the second section of the church during Holy Week?

• The Altar is Holy and during Pascha we are sinners

• To make Holy Week different than all other weeks of the year

• The Bible tells us we should sit in the second section

• Christ suffered and was crucified outside of Jerusalem

Answer explanation

The door to the heavens (altar) were closed before the crucifixion.

8. The service on Tuesday night is called

• Eve of Wednesday

• Eve of Tuesday

• Eve of Monday

• Holy Tuesday

Answer explanation

In Jewish tradition and timekeeping, after sunset the night before is the day after. Get it?

9. How many Divine Liturgies are prayed starting AFTER Palm Sunday liturgy and BEFORE Resurrection liturgy

• One

• Two

• Three

• None

Answer explanation

Covenant Thursday and Bright Saturday.

10. Why don't we greet each other (especially with kisses) from the Eve of Wednesday until Resurrection?

• Because 'Rona

• Because the disciples did not kiss each other during Holy Week

• Because Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss

• St. John Chrysostom started this tradition because our focus is on Christ only

Answer explanation

⁴⁷ And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” -Luke 22