Jesus Himself was, of course, not 'christened' (although this name suggests an honoured anointing, and His birth had been respected at least with a visit from the Magi ~ the 'three wise men', though Scripture nowhere specifies that there were only 3 of them, nor that they were kings). He was named according to the Jewish ritual as a very young baby. But in preparation for His earthly ministry, He was specially honoured in a ceremony by his cousin who was just 6 months his senior. Who was the cousin?

Though sometimes now referred to as 'sponsors', what is the traditional name for the adult friends of a young child's parents, who at a Christian baptism formally pledge to keep a beneficent eye on the child ... until such time as s/he is able to take on the Christian commitments in his/her own right?

Many faiths have ceremonies at which a teenager (usually) is welcomed afresh into the worshipping community in their own right as an adult ~ such as Jews with their and . In many major branches of the Christian Church, at around this age a young person may prepare for such a change of status by taking sessions with their priest, so as to be ready to become a full communicant member. On The Day, what is the ceremony known as, and by whom is the 'upgrade' conferred?

The first recorded miracle by Jesus took place in connection with someone else's Rite of Passage, and reference is usually made to this at the start of Christian repeats of that rite today. What was the original story?

Which of the following phrases is NOT usually to be heard during most modern Christian wedding vows? That the person being married will promise to look after their spouse ...

For a Church wedding, only (usually) a priest or someone duly licensed may actually conduct the ceremony. But the marriage also has to be legally established ~ so, after the vows and marriage, the couple and their priest, parents and immediate supporters make an entry in an official book. What is this part of the occasion formally called?

Co-ordinating a burial, obviously shortly after someone's death, is a sensitive and complex exercise, involving liaison with the priest, family and others such as musicians, church stewards, printers and flower arrangers. The people who do this usually style themselves funeral directors, but what are they at least as often known as?

In many graveyards, both in town and country, there is limited space left (or none); and many people who die prefer not to have their whole body buried anyway. What is the widespread alternative for Christians and others?

Which of the following would you regard as LEAST LIKELY to feature as an argument in a priest's introduction to a Christian burial?

One other rite of passage is when a member of a church becomes a priest, in those denominations that have them (and some explicitly don't, for a range of interesting reasons). After due and diligent study, a candidate ~ adult male or female in most churches, nowadays ~ will be formally admitted to the ranks of the priesthood as a qualified person who can then administer most of the other rites of passage (baptism, Confirmation preparation [but not the Confirmation itself: see above], marriage and burial) for others. What is this 'promotion' process called, and by whom would it be performed?