Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-20
BR|DE-C CHOOSING DAY
IN TOWN Of BRITTANY
0Id-Fashioned Custom Which
Follows Easter in French
Municipality.
Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.

Foreign Correspondence Of The Star.
PARIS. May 10. 1912.
Saint Jean du Doigt. an old ashioned
town Of Brittany. still keeps up its
curious custom OF holding "Bride-choos-
ing day. after Easter. The day is sort
of religious festival. and is called a
"chinadec." 1t consists in all the mar
riageable young girls Of the town and the
country places for q long distance round
about coming to special mass and re-
ligious service, and remaining near the
church all day waiting to be chosen as
brides by the young men of the district.
The custom dates back to the middle
ages, when, it Is said, the laws OF the
church were SO strict that no marriage
between relatives to within the eleventh
degree was permitted. The result was
that young men could not find brides
even in neighboring villages. and rather
long journeys had to be made to find
eligible girls elsewhere.
Church Esta blishes Custom.
1t was then that the church. after an
understanding with the feudal lord of the
place. who had q right to a fee for each
marriage, arranged q common bridal day
every year after Easter, and the custom
has been maintained to the present day.
The day Is observed as one of great re-
ligious solemnity. There is no music or
band, no dance of any kind-as. in fact,
dancing has always been forbidden at st.
Jean du Doigt because of the story of st.
John the Baptist having been ordered to
be beheaded by Herod following a dance.
From one to two hundred girls attend
mass in the morning, and at j in the
the old Gothic church. They are dressed
in Bretagne fashion Of all colors. and
wear long embroidered shawls reaching
to their feet, and carry mass book and
an umbrella. The umbrella. curiously
enough, Is an important factor In the
transaction. 1t is in the handing over Oh
the umbrella that the ''chinadec, or &C
ceptance of the bride. consists
The girls stand in long rows on the
steps of the church or in the square in
and observe a sort of religious gravity,
waiting patiently until a young man
comes to choose one OF them. me young
men stroll about, some distance away on
the walks. and seem to be rather inoiner-
emit From time to time one OF them
leaves his friends and goes to the girl
whom he has chosen. He salutes her
tremendously and speaks to her.
Umbrella as Medium.
Then the umbrella plays an important
role. II it is handed over to the young
man, his proposal is accepted. and 1t Is
rare that it Is not. The girl usually hest
tates for a few minutes for the sake OF
decorum. The young man walks away
to give the girl last chance to reflect.
and still retains his air of indifference.
Finally, after a few minutes OF waiting,
which seem to be only q traditional de-
lay, the girl leaves the ranks and follows
the young man, who then invites her to
small collation.. Little by little the inns
become crowded with young couples. who
are thus partaking of q sort OF frugal
bridal repast. When night comes the
couples return to the house OF the chosen
bride. and a real bridal supper Is then
given by the parents.
The girls who have not been chosen DO
not seem to be disappointed. They re-
main about the church till dusk. and
sometimes till 1t is perfectly dark. IL
their parents are kind to them nothing
is said, but 1t often happens that the girls
who failed to be chosen are roundly
scolded when they return home without