Q 01/05

The word 'angel' comes from the Greek angelos, which literally means what?

A) Guardian

B) Winged one

C) Servant

D) Messenger

Answer · why

D) Messenger

Messenger is all it meant: Greek angelos covered human envoys too. The Latin Bible later split the two, keeping angelus for the heavenly kind and nunt...

Q 02/05

In the nine-choir hierarchy of Pseudo-Dionysius, which order of angels ranks highest, closest to God?

A) Thrones

B) Cherubim

C) Dominions

D) Seraphim

Answer · why

D) Seraphim

Seraphim top the nine choirs, which run in three tiers of three. Archangels, despite the grand name, sit second from the bottom, just above ordinary a...

Q 03/05

In Isaiah's vision of God's throne, six-winged angels call out which word three times over?

A) Glory

B) Hosanna

C) Amen

D) Holy

Answer · why

D) Holy

Holy, holy, holy: the cry became the Sanctus, still sung in the Mass. The angels fly with only two of their six wings and use the others to cover thei...

Q 04/05

In Ezekiel's vision, a cherub has four faces: a human, a lion, an eagle and which other creature?

A) A horse

B) A serpent

C) An ox

D) A ram

Answer · why

C) An ox

An ox, or calf, completes the set. Christian art later gave the four faces to the Gospel writers, and the ox usually went to Luke, whose Gospel opens ...

Q 05/05

Which archangel tells Mary she will bear a son in the Gospel of Luke?

A) Gabriel

B) Michael

C) Raphael

D) Uriel

Answer · why

A) Gabriel

Gabriel had already told the priest Zechariah that his elderly wife would bear John the Baptist. When Zechariah doubted him, the angel struck him mute...