Jewish Holidays During the Time of the Maccabees

As we've learned, the Jewish observance of sanctifying time that stands central in the Jewish faith was abolished under Greek rule. In the aftermath of the rededication of the Temple, the Jewish People were encouraged to keep the Holy Festivals again as seen in 2 Maccabees 1:19:‍

“And now see that you keep the feast of the booths (i.e. Sukkot)...”

‍The Day of Nikanor, another commemoration, marks the day when Judah the Maccabee killed Nikanor, the Greek tyrant who brutally oppressed the Jews. The Second Book of Maccabees notes that it falls on the 13th of Adar which was called Mordechai's Day or in modern times the Fast of Esther, confirming that the Jews were still celebrating the Purim festivities as decreed 300 years earlier in Persia by Mordechai and Queen Esther. The Festival of Purim is still celebrated today.

‍2 Maccabees 15:36, 100 BCE

‍“By unanimous vote, it was decided that this day would never be forgotten, but would be celebrated each year on the eve of Mordecai's Day, which is the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, called Adar in Aramaic.”