Catholic General Knowledge Quiz

By: Kale Havervold
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Catholic General Knowledge Quiz
Image: Pixelchrome Inc / DigitalVision / Getty Images

About This Quiz

With origins spanning back thousands of years, the Catholic religion has long been one of the most popular on the planet. Nearly every country on the earth has a Catholic population, and the Bible is the most widely read and purchased book in the world. The religion has a rich history, and there is a lot to know about the Roman Catholic Church and those involved with it. 

There are the principles of the faith, the words and teachings of the Bible, the hierarchy of leaders, history of the church and so much more. While there is a lot to learn, Catholic schools, books, church, and several other resources do an excellent job of explaining the history of Catholicism and what it means to be a Catholic. 

But just how much do you know (or remember) about Catholicism? Do you know how many popes there have been throughout history? How about the language in which the Bible was initially written? Whether you want to prove your Catholic knowledge is worthy of being a Saint, or want to learn a little more about the religion, this quiz is for you. 

Without any further ado, do your best to remember your Sunday school teachings and get ready to challenge yourself against our Catholic general knowledge quiz.

Who created and essentially founded Catholicism?
Jesus Christ
Allah
Saint Peter
John
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The origins of the Catholic faith can be traced back to the teachings and words of Jesus of Nazareth, who is widely known as Jesus Christ. His teachings slowly grew and became more popular over his lifetime (from 4 B.C to 30 A.D).

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Of which larger religion is Catholicism a subset of?
Islam
Buddhism
Christianity
Hinduism
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Catholicism is one of the largest and most popular subsets of Christianity. Christianity enjoys the support of more than 2 billion people all over the world, making it the single largest religion on planet earth.

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How many Catholics are there around the world?
Around 800 million
Around 23 million
Around 1.2 billion
Around 2.2 billion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Throughout the world, there are more than 1 billion Catholics, and the number is continuing to rise. These individuals live all over the world, but no area has as many Catholics as Latin America.

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The leader of the Catholic Church is called the "Bishop of Rome," but what is another name for that person?
The Deacon
The King Priest
The Commander
The Pope
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are many different leaders and positions of power in the Catholic Church, but none are more powerful than the pope. He is elected, and once elected, is considered the leader of the Catholic church. Saint Peter is considered to have been the first "Bishop of Rome," and all popes who came after him are his direct successors.

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Which day of the week is the most common for Catholics to attend church?
Wednesday
Sunday
Monday
Friday
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While church services can be attended at many different days and times, Sunday is the most common day for Catholics to attend worship services in church. Churches all over the world hold Sunday mass for anyone interested in attending.

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A cardinal plays an important role in the church. What is one of his duties?
Drive the pope during his travels
Help elect a new pope
Clean up the pope's quarters
Fly the pope's plane
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A cardinal is a senior leader in the Roman Catholic Church, often known as a Prince of the Church. Most cardinals are ordained bishops and have duties that include leading a diocese, managing departments and helping to elect a new pope.

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What does the word Catholic mean?
Holy
Universal
Happiness
Devotion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The word Catholic stems from both the Latin and Greek languages. It originally comes from the Greek word "katholikos," which means universal. That comes from the Greek phrase of "katholous," which means "on the whole."

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Which country has the most Catholics?
Brazil
United States
Mexico
Italy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are several countries with millions and millions of Catholics inhabiting them. However, no country has more Catholics than Brazil. Brazil is believed to have anywhere from around 110,000,000 to 170,000,000 Catholics living there (about 65% of the population), according to various sources.

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Who is the pope, as of 2019?
Pope John Paul II
Pope Benedict
Pope Pius
Pope Francis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The current pope, as of July of 2019, is Pope Francis. He became the Pope in 2013 and is the very first Pope to be from the Southern Hemisphere. He was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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How many "testaments" are there in a Bible?
One
17
SIx
Two
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bible is quite long and has several important stories and books, but in total, there are only two "testaments," the Old Testament (which contains the Books of the Bible before Jesus Christ's birth) and the New Testament (which is a collection of the Books of the Bible after Christ's birth and death.)

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Catholicism is one of the major branches of Christianity. How many other branches are there?
Three
Four
Six
Eight
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are three major branches of Christianity, and Catholicism is one. The other two are Protestant and Orthodox. While they are all Christians, there are some significant differences between each branch. There are, however, subdivisions, often referred to as denominations, within these main branches.

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On what day do Catholics celebrate Jesus' resurrection?
Easter
Christmas
Thanksgiving
New Year's Eve
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The death and resurrection of Jesus are among the foundation points of a Catholic and Christian faith. They believe Jesus was resurrected three days after his death (commemorated on Good Friday.) His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Sunday.

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Where in the world did Catholicism originate?
Egypt
South Africa
Judea
Greece
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Because Jesus was born in Jerusalem, Judea, that is where the religion began. After his word quickly spread, so did the popularity of the religion. As mentioned, Catholics now exist nearly everywhere on the planet.

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How many popes have there been throughout history?
123
78
266
500
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Throughout history, there have been 266 popes, including the current pope, Pope Francis. There has been an active pope in the world since the first century. They have come from all over the world, but the majority have come from Italy.

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Which location is considered the center of the Catholic Church?
Notre Dame
Vatican City
Milan Cathedral
Cathedral of the Nativity
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vatican City is a sovereign state located in Rome, Italy. It is ruled by the pope and is seen by many as the epicenter of the Catholic Church. It is also the smallest country on the planet, with fewer than 1,000 residents.

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If someone is speaking about the Holy See, to what are they referring?
The pope's eyeglasses
The lookout spot at the top of Vatican City
When Jesus saw God in his dreams
A governing body, seat of government or jurisdiction
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While many think Holy See and Vatican City are the same, this isn't the case. The Holy See is a seat of government for the universal church and a spiritual governing body.

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How many apostles did Jesus have?
Seven
12
25
Two
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While Jesus had many different followers, there were only 12 original apostles. These were his first group of followers. They played a significant role in spreading Jesus' message, especially after his death and resurrection.

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What are schisms?
A type of religion
The clothing that priests wear
A formal segregation or split
An illness
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A schism is a split or division between two organizations, groups or entities. For example, Christianity went through a schism in 1054 when Christianity was split into Catholic and Orthodox sects.

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In which language was the Bible initially written?
Hebrew
English
Spanish
Greek
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bible was originally written in Hebrew. The first language it was translated to was Greek. Since then, the Bible has been translated into thousands of different languages from all over the world.

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How old was Jesus when he was crucified?
22
65
41
33
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While it is impossible to know Jesus' exact age when he died on the cross, it is believed he was at least 33 years old. There are some who believe he could have been as old as 36, but 33 is generally believed to be the age at which Jesus died.

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What is the title of the first book of the Bible?
Genesis
Exodus
Numbers
Joshua
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While there are many different books in the Bible, the first is the Book of Genesis. It is Judaism's story around the creation of the world as we know it and how Jewish people came to exist on the planet.

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Of the following, which is not a common Catholic prayer?
Our Father
Glory Be
The Host of Our Being
Hail Mary
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are many popular and common prayers in the Catholic church, but "The Host of Our Being" is not one of them. Praying and singing songs alike is a very large part of the Roman Catholic faith.

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Which group of people was believed to be responsible for the death of Jesus Christ?
Jews
Romans
Africans
Asians
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While tracing the exact group who was responsible for the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, it is believed to be the Romans. Pontius Pilate, a prefect serving under the Roman Emperor Tiberius, judged the trial and ordered the eventual crucifixion.

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Which of Jesus' Twelve Apostles betrayed him?
Andrew
Judas
Peter
Tomas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While the Twelve Apostles were Jesus's closest followers and friends, one of them went on to betray him by revealing who he was to the group looking to arrest him. That apostle was Judas Iscariot, who is believed to have hung himself afterward.

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How many Catholic priests are there throughout the world?
Around 400,000
Around 100,000
Around 1.3 million
Around 900,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The number of priests in the Catholic Church is just over 400,000. While this is still a staggering number, the exact number of priests has declined compared to previous years.

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In Catholicism, what is Confirmation?
Jesus turning water into wine
A sacrament during which someone is fully initiated into the Roman Catholic Church
When someone becomes a priest
Confessing sins to a priest
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Confirmation is one of the Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. It is when someone is considered a full member of the church. It is the third and final sacrament of initiation into the church. The other two are Baptism and Holy Communion.

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What is Lent?
The last name of the first priest
A type of subset of Catholicism
A religious observance during which repenting sins is common
A ceremonial lamp
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lent s a religious observance that takes place from Ash Wednesday until the day before Easter. It lasts around six weeks. Its purpose is to help the faithful prepare for Easter.

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How many cardinals of the Catholic church are there around the world?
214
13,000
2,500
850
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

According to the Vatican press website, there are only 214 cardinals in the Catholic church. It is a very exclusive group. And of those 214, only 115 are eligible to vote during the election of a new pope.

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What is the name of the meeting during which a new pope is elected?
Election of the Spirits
Meeting of the Makers
Conclave
The Creation
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The gathering of cardinals during which a new pope is voted on and elected is called the Papal Conclave. Certain members of the College of Cardinals meet and elect someone to become the next pope. These meetings are held in the Sistine Chapel.

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How many commandments are there in the Decalogue?
175
600
25
10
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While there are more than 600 total commandments, the Decalogue is made up of the Ten Commandments that most Catholics know and by which they live. They play an important and fundamental role in the religion.

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Sacraments are important in the Catholic church. How many are there?
Three
Seven
14
22
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are seven different sacraments in Catholicism. These are split into three different sections: the sacraments of initiation, the sacraments of healing and the sacraments of service.

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What is the name of the building where the pope lives?
The Christian Chapel
The Holy Home
Creation of the Catholics
Apostolic Palace
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The pope's official residence is the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The building also contains various offices and libraries. Construction on the palace began in 1589.

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How many saints are recognized by the Catholic church?
800
1700
4500
More than 10,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Throughout the history of Catholicism, there have been more than 10,000 Saints. Some of the names and identities of the saints have been lost over the centuries. Each saint has their own unique reason and story behind why they were made a saint.

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Who is generally recognized as being the first pope?
John Paul I
St. Peter
St. Pius
St. Mark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first pope or Bishop of Rome was none other than St. Peter. He is the namesake behind the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. He was also a member of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus himself.

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How many main gospels are there in the Bible?
12
63
Four
88
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bible consists of many books, but there are four main Gospels that every Catholic should know from their lessons. They are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

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