Merry Christmas, readers! In honor of this joyful season I’ve put together an entirely Christmas-themed quiz. What present could be better than that?!

1. Religious Orders

Which congregation of lay brothers of the Third Order of St. Francis was founded in Germany on Christmas Day 1857 to help poor, orphaned and homeless boys?

• a) Friars Minor of the Leonine Unio
• b) Poor Brothers of St. Francis Seraphicus
• c) Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis
• d) Simple Living Brothers

2. Liturgy

How many different Christmas Masses (example: Midnight Mass) are there?

• a) five
• b) two
• c) three
• d) four

3. Church Trivia

Epiphany comes from the Greek word “epiphaneia,” which means what?

• a) late arrival
• b) journey
• c) appearance
• d) gifts

4. Saints

According to one tradition, St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany, was responsible for the origin of this Christmas tradition in the 700s.

• a) the Christmas tree
• b) caroling
• c) the Advent wreath
• d) gingerbread cookies

5. Scripture

Two of the four Gospels don’t contain narratives of Jesus’ birth. Which ones?

• a) Matthew and Luke
• b) Mark and Matthew
• c) Luke and John
• d) John and Mark

6. Church in Hawaii

The first Catholic missionary to Hawaii was forced off the islands by the Hawaiian government on Christmas Eve 1831. Who was he? (Hint: the answer can be found in this newspaper.)

• a) Father Louis Maigret
• b) Father Reginald Yzendoorn
• c) Father Alexis Bachelot
• d) Father Arsensius Walsh

7. Popes

This pope is often credited with choosing Dec. 25 as the celebration day for Christ’s birth. That day was picked to coincide with pagan feasts so that Roman converts to Christianity could still have their holidays.

• a) Julius I
• b) Marcellus I
• c) Eusebius
• d) Dionysius

8. Christmas Trivia

“Po la‘i e, po kamaha‘o” are the first words to the Hawaiian version of what Christmas carol?

• a) O Holy Night
• b) Silent Night
• c) Joy to the World
• d) Hark the Herald Angels Sing

9. Devotions

What popular Filipino Christmas-time novena is widely celebrated in Hawaii?

• a) Misa de Mondavi
• b) Feliz Navidad
• c) El Niño
• d) Misa de Gallo

10. Hawaii’s Beatified

Blessed Damien was born on the 10th Day of Christmas, which is what date?

• a) January 3
• b) January 4
• c) December 28
• d) January 10

11. Picture

Since 1978, a government agency has used a different image of the Madonna and Child on what Christmas item? Seen above is this year’s featured depiction, Bernardino Luini’s “The Madonna of the Carnation.”

• a) the presidential Christmas card
• b) U.S. postage stamps
• c) two dollar bills
• d) wrapping paper

12. Current Events

What tradition, started by Pope John Paul II in 1982, continues at the Vatican this year? Pope John Paul II

• a) The Holy Father serves hot chocolate to Vatican visitors on the twelfth day of Christmas.
• b) Red and green painted advent wreaths hang from the Basilica of St. John Lateran.
• c) A Christmas tree and Nativity scene are put up in St. Peter’s Square.
• d) Candy canes are handed out to all Sistine Chapel visitors during Advent.

Answers: 1) b  2) d  3) c  4) a  5) d  6) c  7) a  8) b  9) d  10) a  11) b  12) c