The Early Church & Pentecost
How many days after the Resurrection did the Holy Spirit descend on the apostles?
50 days (on the day of Pentecost)
Which apostle founded the Church of Alexandria?
St. Mark the Evangelist
Name all 7 sacraments of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Baptism, Chrismation, Repentance & Confession, Eucharist, Priesthood, Matrimony, Unction of the Sick
St. Mark's home, known as the Upper Room, is sometimes considered what?
The first Christian church
This Old Testament figure met Abraham, brought out bread and wine, and blessed him. Who was he?
Melchizedek
What does the Greek word "Pentēkostē" mean?
Fiftieth
Saul of Tarsus was traveling to which city to arrest Christians when he was converted?
Damascus
What Bible verse is the foundation of the sacrament of Repentance & Confession?
John 20:23 — "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
According to St. John Chrysostom, why does the Church baptize even infants who have no personal sin?
So that they may receive holiness, righteousness, adoption, inheritance, brotherhood with Christ, and become His members
St. Justin the Martyr in 155 A.D. described two practices that still exist in our Liturgy today. Name both.
The kiss of peace — "Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss" and the people saying Amen after the prayers, which he explains means "so be it" in Hebrew
The Jewish tradition says Pentecost commemorates when God gave what to Moses on Mount Sinai?
The Ten Commandments
Which city was the mother Church of all Christian churches during the Apostolic Age?
Jerusalem
What Bible verse supports the sacrament of Unction of the Sick?
James 5:14–15 — "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church..."
Hippolytus of Rome in 215 A.D. described the presbyter commanding the baptized to say what?
"I renounce thee, Satan, and all thy servants and all thy works"
This Roman Emperor, while trying to suppress Christianity, accidentally praised the early Church's charity in the Agape meals. Who was he?
Emperor Julian the Apostate
How many people were gathered in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost, praying and fasting?
About 120
Which city was the first place where believers were called "Christians"?
Antioch
What Bible verse from Ephesians supports the sacrament of Matrimony?
Ephesians 5:31-32 — "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
At what hour did the Holy Spirit descend on the apostles on the day of Pentecost, and what immediately happened to the apostles after they were filled?
The third hour (9 am) and they were filled with courage and feared nothing, and began to speak in other tongues
What does the lesson say about the Apostolic Age. When did it begin and when did it end?
It began on the day of Pentecost in 30 AD and ended with the departure of St. John the Apostle in 100 AD (approximately 70 years)
Name the three great pilgrimage festivals celebrated at the Temple in Jewish tradition.
The Passover, the Pentecost, and the Tabernacles
St. Paul traveled more than how many miles on his missionary journeys, established at least how many churches, and was martyred in which city?
More than 10,000 miles, at least 14 churches, martyred in Rome
Why did the Orthodox Church eventually set a fixed number of sacraments at seven?
Because of the spread of Catholic and Protestant missionaries — it became essential to canonize and number the sacraments
In the early Church, how did newly baptized believers receive the Holy Spirit and how did this practice evolve as the Church grew?
The apostles laid their hands on the heads of believers to give them the Spirit and as the Church grew, this evolved into the anointing with oil (Chrismation)
Apostolic Succession is proven through the laying on of hands. What verse does the lesson cite and to whom was it written?
2 Timothy 1:6 — "I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands" — written to Timothy