| II Maccabees 10:3
| And having purified the temple, they made another altar: and taking fire out of the fiery stones, they offered sacrifices after two years, and set forth incense, and lamps, and the loaves of proposition.
| Stones; "heated," (Greek; Syriac; Serarius) or by miracle, (Arabic; Gorionides; Tirinus) or striking fire with a flint upon tinder. In this manner the Church still renews fire on Holy Saturday. The Jews could not use profane fire in the temple, Leviticus 10:1. God restored the sacred fire by miracle, 2 Machabees 1:18., etc. Pagans have had many superstitious customs with regard to fire. (Calmet) Adde quod arcana fieri novus ignis in aede Dicitur et vires flamma reflecta capit. (Ovid, Fast. iii.) --- They obtained fire by means of a burning glass. (Calmet) --- If the vestal suffered it to go out, she was scourged by the pontiff. (Sextus.) --- Two, dating from the administration of Judas, and three since the temple was defiled. (Usher, the year [of the world] 3840.)
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