Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A Jewish festival: "Feast of Dedication" is the name for an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE after its desecration.

Usage

• The term "Feast of Dedication" is used specifically to refer to this historical and religious celebration. It is often discussed in historical, cultural, and interfaith contexts.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Feast of Dedication is also widely known by its Hebrew name, Hanukkah.
  • In the Gospel of John, Jesus is recorded as being in Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication.

Advanced Usage

• Historical and religious context: The term is used formally to denote the holiday's origin story—the Maccabean Revolt and the miracle of the temple menorah burning for eight days with only one day's worth of consecrated oil.
  • The story behind the Feast of Dedication is told in the Books of the Maccabees.

Variants and Related Words

• Hanukkah (proper noun): The more common name for the same festival, meaning "dedication" in Hebrew.
• Festival of Lights (proper noun): Another name for this holiday, referring to the central ritual of lighting the menorah.
• Chanukah (proper noun): A common alternative transliteration of "Hanukkah."

Synonyms

• Hanukkah: The direct synonym and the most commonly used term for this holiday.
• Festival of Dedication: A less common, literal alternative phrasing.

Notes on Meaning

• The "Feast of Dedication" has a singular, specific meaning tied to a historical event in Judaism. It does not refer to any other type of dedication ceremony or feast.

Noun

1. (Judaism) an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BC