Evening star., 1935-07-28

AlOuSAOAb tAAC NAAAAhASA 0AAN~A
a early Fall, not week passes
in Brittany without pardon,
the religious fete for which this re-
gion Is famous. On this occasion
peasants dress in Breton costumes
which have been handed down for
generations, and thousands of pill
grims and travellers throng to one Of
the local shrines.
The evening before they spend in
prayer and confession or drink at the
holy well or other miraculous spring.
The following day the ceremony of
the pardon-a blessing Of the sea, of
cattle, or perhaps boats-takes place,
and all join in great procession,
carrying banners ana wearing their
picturesque costumes. Then, when the
rites are over, the mood of every one
changes from gravely religious to
festive, and an afternoon and evening
of dancing, games and drinking US
TALLY follows.
One Of the most colorful of Brit
tany's pardons, that in honor of St.
Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary,
was celebrated here at Auray Fri
day. According to an old belief
of the Bretons, st. Anne was native
OF their country and went to the
Holy Land. After she returned, Jesus,
the legend says, sometimes came to
visit her here.
In the procession, her golden image
Is carried by four widows, who are
followed by four maidens bearing an
image Of the Virgin. Pilgrims bathe
their eyes at holy fountain, whose
waters are believed to cure weak eyes,
and then all climb a scala sacra or
holy staircase, for remission of their
sins.
zach Summer Rumengol, another
Breton village, celebrates its
Pardon of the Singers, or Our Lady of
AL Remedies. This pardon, too, has
q legendary origin to explain the
songs with which it is commemorated.
According to tradition. an ancient
king was forced to throw his daughter
into the sea, where she became a
siren. Turing men to death with her
beautiful songs. When the king died
and reached paradise, he asked the
Virgin to prevent his daughters sing
ing. This she could not do, but she
broke the charm by making the songs
OF others more sweet than that OF
the siren.
Most picturesque of the pardons are
those Of animals, when cattle bedecked
with ribbons. flowers and rosettes are
led to the church door to receive a
blessing. The procedure varies &C
cording to the region. At the Chapel
Of st. Herbot, near Huelgoat, peasants
lay hairs from the tails of their COWS
on the altar, and they believe that
one Of the blessed animals in a herd
will protect the rest from disease dur
ing the year. One Of these pardons,
that of st. Nicodeme, takes place
August 4, S and 6 at Chapelle st.
Nicodeme; another, that of st.
Cornely, on September 8 at Carnac.
OTHER famous Breton pardons in
clude that Of st. Anne, at st.
Anne La Palud, on August "a and IS;
that Of the Seven Saints, at Erdeven,
August rs and 27; that Of the village
Of Canaret with the blessing Of the
sea, September 1: of Our Lady Of the
Thorn Bushes. at Josselin. September
o: the Grand Pardon, at Pont rAbbe,
September ~, and that at Gourin
September 20, followed by wrestling
matches, the origin Of which goes back
to the fifteenth century.
There are many other attractions
that bring travellers to Brittany.
Mont Saint Michel, that marvellous
island citadel with its fine thirteenth
century abbey church, towers up from
the sea of the coast; Belle-Ile, where
Sarah Bernhardt used to spend her
Summers, has vegetation that is sur
prisingly tropical; st. Malo, with its
Newfoundland fishing feet; Dinard,
with Its fine beaches; Carnac, with its
great weird stone monuments dating
from prehistoric times, all these make
Brittany . land worth visiting.