2 Maccabees 6:7-9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
7 Moreover, at the monthly celebration of the king’s birthday the Jews, from bitter necessity, had to partake of the sacrifices, and when the festival of Dionysus[a] was celebrated, they were compelled to march in his procession, wearing wreaths of ivy.(A)
8 Following upon a vote of the citizens of Ptolemais, a decree was issued ordering the neighboring Greek cities to adopt the same measures, obliging the Jews to partake of the sacrifices 9 and putting to death those who would not consent to adopt the customs of the Greeks. It was obvious, therefore, that disaster had come upon them.
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- 6:7 Dionysus: also called Bacchus, the god of the grape harvest and of wine; ivy was one of his symbols.
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