Religion has been an integral part of human civilization for thousands of years. Religious beliefs and practices are often shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Riddles about religion can be fun and thought-provoking ways to learn more about different faiths and uncover hidden truths. Here are 55 riddles about religious practices from various traditions, along with their answers.
Christian Riddles
Riddle 1
I’m eaten but never consumed. What am I?
Answer: The communion wafer in Christian mass.
Riddle 2
We come in a pair, joined at the hip. Remove one, and the other’s meaning slips. What are we?
Answer: The Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
Riddle 3
I wash away your sins and welcome you to eternal life. What am I?
Answer: The water used in baptism.
Riddle 4
Crucified and risen, I saved you from your sins. Who am I?
Answer: Jesus Christ.
Riddle 5
My father was a carpenter, my mother a virgin. With my twelve disciples, I preached love and mercy. Who am I?
Answer: Jesus Christ.
Hindu Riddles
Riddle 6
I have four arms and sit upon a lotus flower. With the help of my vehicle, the mouse, I overcome all obstacles. Who am I?
Answer: Lord Ganesha.
Riddle 7
I am the three-eyed god, born from Shiva’s third eye. I help remove obstacles and bring wisdom. Who am I?
Answer: Lord Shiva’s son, Ganesha.
Riddle 8
With Sitting Bull as my vehicle, I wield the mighty sudarshan chakra. I am associated with the color blue and am the eighth avatar of Vishnu. Who am I?
Answer: Lord Krishna.
Riddle 9
I am the four-armed destroyer, wielding weapons of bow, discus, mace and lotus. With Nandi as my vehicle, I perform the cosmic Tandava dance. Who am I?
Answer: Lord Shiva.
Riddle 10
I am the goddess of knowledge, learning and the arts. With my veena and swan vehicle, I remove ignorance. Who am I?
Answer: Goddess Saraswati.
Buddhist Riddles
Riddle 11
With skin of gold and a body round, I bring luck to those who find me. What am I?
Answer: A golden Buddha statue.
Riddle 12
I was a prince who left behind riches and power to seek enlightenment. Under the Bodhi tree I found the path to end suffering. Who am I?
Answer: Siddhartha Gautama Buddha.
Riddle 13
Spin me around and I whisper om mani padme hum. What am I?
Answer: A prayer wheel.
Riddle 14
Ring me thrice daily and I gather the monks. What am I?
Answer: A temple bell.
Riddle 15
I am not one, nor many. Name me and I vanish away. What am I?
Answer: Emptiness.
Islamic Riddles
Riddle 16
Towards me the faithful turn five times a day in prayer. What am I?
Answer: The qibla, or the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.
Riddle 17
Crescent shaped, I mark the start of the month of fasting. What am I?
Answer: The new moon signaling the start of Ramadan.
Riddle 18
A pilgrimage to me is obligatory for every able Muslim. What am I?
Answer: The holy city of Mecca.
Riddle 19
I am Islam’s holiest site, a large black cube-shaped building, and the destination of the Hajj pilgrimage. What am I?
Answer: The Kaaba in Mecca.
Riddle 20
Wiped across the feet five times a day, I cleanse before entering prayer. What am I?
Answer: A janamaz, or prayer rug.
Jewish Riddles
Riddle 21
A box contains my soul, strapped upon the arm and head as a reminder of God. What am I?
Answer: Tefillin.
Riddle 22
I am affixed to door posts as a sign of God’s protection. What am I?
Answer: A mezuzah.
Riddle 23
Upon Passover, I’m searched for and removed from the home. What am I?
Answer: Leavened bread or chametz.
Riddle 24
For eight days each winter, I am lit to celebrate an ancient miracle. What am I?
Answer: The menorah candle lit during Hanukkah.
Riddle 25
At my ceremony, a boy becomes a man. Who am I?
Answer: The rite of circumcision, or bris.
Catholic Riddles
Riddle 26
Of wafers and wine I’m comprised, the blood and body of Christ. What am I?
Answer: The Eucharist or Holy Communion.
Riddle 27
I’m a holy city, home to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Pope. What am I?
Answer: Vatican City.
Riddle 28
A cardinal virtue, I teach temperance, justice, prudence and fortitude. What am I?
Answer: The Catechism.
Riddle 29
In my sacrament, sins are forgiven and grace is bestowed. What am I?
Answer: Reconciliation, also called Penance or Confession.
Riddle 30
Of three parts I consist, yet form a single whole. The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. What am I?
Answer: The Holy Trinity.
Mormon Riddles
Riddle 31
I prohibit alcohol, tobacco, coffee and tea. What am I?
Answer: The Mormon Word of Wisdom health code.
Riddle 32
A secret ritual said to bind families together eternally. What am I?
Answer: Celestial or temple marriage sealing.
Riddle 33
I am a sacred undergarment worn day and night by devout adherents as a reminder of covenants. What am I?
Answer: Temple garments.
Riddle 34
A pilgrimage to my archives provides access to ancestral records. What am I?
Answer: Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Riddle 35
I wrote the Book of Mormon from golden plates I found buried in New York. Who am I?
Answer: Joseph Smith, Jr.
Protestant Riddles
Riddle 36
Luther proclaimed my central teaching: salvation comes through faith alone. What am I?
Answer: Protestantism.
Riddle 37
Some call me the “protest” church, for I arose protesting Catholic doctrines and practices. What am I?
Answer: Protestantism.
Riddle 38
My theologians include Jonathan Edwards and John Calvin, who stressed biblical faith and personal piety. What am I?
Answer: Protestantism.
Riddle 39
I broke from Rome but retained episcopal hierarchy and liturgical worship. What am I?
Answer: Anglicanism.
Riddle 40
I practice adult baptism and base governance on local congregational autonomy. Who am I?
Answer: Baptists.
Eastern Religions Riddles
Riddle 41
I seek balance through opposing forces of yin and yang. I practice tai chi, feng shui and martial arts. What am I?
Answer: Taoism.
Riddle 42
I revere ancestors and teach filial piety. I celebrate Chinese New Year with feasts, fireworks and red envelopes. What am I?
Answer: Chinese folk religion.
Riddle 43
I chant nam-myoho-renge-kyo while spinning my prayer wheel. I believe that within every person is Buddha nature. What am I?
Answer: Nichiren Buddhism.
Riddle 44
I seek enlightenment through meditation and the Eightfold Path. I believe desire is the root of suffering. What am I?
Answer: Buddhism.
Riddle 45
I am one with nature, finding the divine within mountains, trees, and wildlife. I do not cut hair and believe in karma. Who am I?
Answer: Sikhism.
Ancient Religions Riddles
Riddle 46
I worship the gods of Olympus, offering libations and sacrifices for blessings. Who am I?
Answer: An ancient Greek pagan.
Riddle 47
I hunted with Artemis and drank ambrosia on Mount Olympus. Half god and half mortal, I became a legend. Who am I?
Answer: Hercules.
Riddle 48
My relics were hidden in King Tut’s tomb to guide him into the afterlife. My eye looks for justice and truth. What am I?
Answer: The Eye of Horus from ancient Egyptian mythology.
Riddle 49
I worshipped Ra, Anubis, Bastet and other Egyptian gods. I helped mummify Pharaohs for the afterlife. Who am I?
Answer: An ancient Egyptian priest.
Riddle 50
I sacrifice animals and read omens in their entrails. I interpret dreams to divine the will of the gods. What am I?
Answer: An ancient Roman haruspex or diviner.
Miscellaneous Religious Riddles
Riddle 51
My eight spokes guide the faithful towards righteousness. I represent the eightfold path and dharma. What am I?
Answer: The Buddhist dharmachakra or Wheel of Dharma.
Riddle 52
My five points symbolize the five pillars of Islam. I adorn mosques and flags from Morocco to Indonesia. What am I?
Answer: The Islamic star and crescent.
Riddle 53
My triangular shape represents the Holy Trinity. I have an all-seeing eye and shine God’s light. What am I?
Answer: The Eye of Providence or Illuminati pyramid.
Riddle 54
I am a ceremonial knife used for ritual sacrifices. My double edges represent duality and Shiva’s power to both create and destroy. What am I?
Answer: A kila or phurba.
Riddle 55
Spun around the mountain, I carry prayers to heaven. White, red, yellow, green, blue, I stand out against the sky. What am I?
Answer: Tibetan prayer flags.
Conclusion
Religious practices are filled with fascinating symbolism and rituals that can seem mysterious or cryptic at first glance. These riddles shed light on the spiritual tools, sacrifices, ceremonies and artifacts used in various faiths and traditions across history and around the world. How many were you able to guess correctly? Test your knowledge and understand different religions better with these intriguing riddles.
