FUNDAMENTALS
Popes have played a significant role in shaping not just the belief system in the western world, but also in shaping its history. Today's quiz is on Popes and Papacy.
Write with your suggestions, questions (with answers) to senjam@gmail.com.
THE PAPACY
1. What role is played in the Vatican by the deceptively named The Institute for Works of Religion?
2. Benedict XVI famously resigned to become the first pope to resign in 700 years. Who was the last Pope to resign before him?
3. John Paul 1, who was a Pope for a short period of one month, was the first Pope to be born and the last Pope to die in 20th century. He is also remembered for adopting an interesting naming convention. What?
4. Only two popes resigned of their own free will. One of them is of course Benedict XVI. Who is the first?
5. The Apostolic Palace in the Vatican is the official residence of the Pope. He also has a summer residence. What is its name?
6. Which territory was established as an independent state by the Lateran Treaty of 1929?
7. What is the significance of a black smoke and white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel during the Papal election process?
8. How do you better know Karol Józef Wojty?a, son of a Polish army captain Karol Wojtyla?
9. Every Pope wears a new ‘ring of the fisherman’ at the Papal Coronation. Why is this gold ring called the ‘ring of the fisherman’? 10. What role has the Gammarelli in Rome been playing for every Pope since 1922?
ANYTHING GOES
1. What was the codename for the Indian Armed Forces operation to capture the Siachen Glacier in the Kashmir region, precipitating the Siachen Conflict, launched on 13 April
1984? (named after a famous Sanskrit poem by Kalidasa ) (Dr. Shanu Chandran, Kochi)
2. Actor Brad Pitt was injured while shooting for the film Troy and shooting had to be stopped for three months. What was the unbelievable coincidence regarding the character he was playing and the injury? (Vasudev Prakash, Mysuru)
3. He became the first Muslim cricketer to represent Australia when he made his debut and is a qualified commercial and instrument-rated pilot, completing a bachelor’s degree in Aviation before he made his Test debut. He attained his basic pilot licence before his driving licence.? Name him ?Dee Surendranath, Hyderabad)
4. The Plebiscite Front was a political party that existed for two decades between 1955 and 1975 in Kashmir. This party’s main platform was to support plebiscite in Kashmir. Who was the patron of this party even though he never formally joined it? (Daniel Murad, Kochi)
5. Two popular catch phrases of the Indian freedom movement ‘Simon Go Back’ and ‘Quit India’ was coined by a former mayor of Bombay. Name him? (Arnab Ghosal, Secunderabad)
6. In Medieval England, a wooden frame was used to woollen or linen cloth to prevent it from shrinking as it dries. Hooks were used to place the cloth in place in the frame. What modern day phrase comes from this practice? (Madhavi Chandran, Kochi)
7. The only swimmer to be undefeated in a ten year swimming career has to his credit five Olympic gold medals. He also made his mark in some other field. Name him? (BK Harinath, Mysuru)
8. The Boeing X-37 is a secretive plane operated by the US Department of Defense. What is special about this aircraft? (UN Murthy, Secunderabad)