12 2Macc 15:12-16 3 What he saw was this: Onias, the former high priest, a good and virtuous man, modest in appearance, gentle in manners, distinguished in speech, and trained from childhood in every virtuous practice, was praying with outstretched arms for the whole Jewish community. 13
Then in the same way another man appeared, distinguished by his white hair and dignity, and with an air about him of extraordinary, majestic authority. 14
4 Onias then said of him, "This is God's prophet Jeremiah, who loves his brethren and fervently prays for his people and their holy city."
15 Stretching out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to him he said, 16 "Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall crush your adversaries."
Israel was always marked by its apostasy and following pagan practices. The fact the jews did it, and it was recorded for us in the writings of the Jews does not mean it has the approval of God
As you know Maccabees is not accepted as inspired scripture by Jews or Protestants but as a document of some historical benefit.. the fact the jews may have followed the practices of heathens ..like praying to the dead or purgatory is no where confirmed as the will of God in the NT by Christ ....
The fact these practices are no where taught in the NT by Christ or the church or modeled for us there is why the Roman church included Maccabees .
Their doctrine decided the canon instead of the other way around