The verger has its roots in the earliest days of the Anglican church's history. The lay ministry of verger dates back to the Middle Ages when the verger was the "Protector of the Procession." He leads the procession into the church or cathedral, clearing the way for the procession and protecting it from vagabonds and animals that tried to attack it.
As one of the minor religious orders of that day, vergers also became responsible for the order and upkeep of the house of worship, including preparations for the liturgy, the conduct of the laity, and grave-digging. Although there is no definitive historical survey of the verger, evidence from Rochester, Lincoln, Exeter, and Salisbury Cathedrals indicates the existence of vergers as far back as the 16th century.
A familiar sight in Anglican cathedrals, vergers have maintained the buildings and furnishings of the church for many centuries to the present day.
The contemporary verger is experiencing a rapid expansion within the Episcopal Church. Differing from the Church of England, where vergers are often full-time paid employees of the church, American vergers are more often volunteers with a special calling to the ordering and conduct of the church's liturgy.
Today, in many Episcopal churches and cathedrals, you will see a verger ceremonially leading the procession. All vergers wear vestments of some sort – usually known as a verger’s gown – and carries a virge (staff of office) to help clear the way, and to ceremonially point the way for the procession. The basic vestment of a verger is a black cassock. In some places, especially cathedrals, the cassock may be of another color, and in some parishes the cassock is not worn at all. Over the cassock, when performing a ceremonial function, the verger wears a gown. One type of gown is sleeveless and resembles a bishop's chimere; the other is cut more fully and resembles a master's academic gown. The virge is the staff that a verger carries in procession. The name comes from the Latin "virga" which simply means a rod or staff; hence, a verger is one who carries a staff. The virge can trace its history back to the ceremonial maces carried before civic and ecclesiastical dignitaries. The Maces of State used in the House of Lords and the House of Commons of the British Parliament are examples of another modern use of this medieval symbol.
Again, the size and shape of a virge varies from place to place; but one end has a cross or other Christian symbol mounted on it. A longer variation of the virge is called the "beadle", originally used to lead academic processions.
At Emmanuel, vergers are parishioners expressing an interest in this lay ministry, appointed by the rector and trained in this important lay ministry for the purpose of assisting the clergy in the orderly celebration of liturgical services, especially in the marshaling of processions. Vestments for vergers at Emmanuel consist of a black cassock and blue chimere with the seal of the Vergers Guild of the Episcopal Church affixed to the left breast. The virge is a simple oak rod capped with a brass orb and cross.
Vergers, through their lay ministry, relieve the clergy of the burden of liturgical details so that they can concentrate on their priestly duties to preach the Word and administer the Sacraments.
Emmanuel’s vergers are foremost “masters of ceremony” who under the direction of the priest ensure all the actions of the Liturgy are done at the proper time and in the proper manner. It is a servant ministry centered on corporate worship, and hopefully if all is done well helps to create a prayerful worship experience for the body of Christ at Emmanuel.
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