verger (plural vergers)

1. One who carries a verge, or emblem of office.
2. (chiefly, Britain, Christianity) A lay#Adjective|lay person who takes care of the interior of a church and act#Verb|acts as an attendant during service#Noun|services, where he or she carries the verge (or virge). In the United States, the office is generally combined with that of sexton.
   • 1855 December – 1857 June​, Charles Dickens, “Litle Dorrit’s Party”, in Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1857, OCLC 83401042 ↗, book the first (Poverty), page 128 ↗:

     "We have often seen each other," said Little Dorrit, recognising the sexton, or the beadle, or the verger, or whatever he was, "when I have been at church here."

   • 1942, Emily Carr, “The Blessing”, in The Book of Small:

     As soon as we were all in the night the verger rolled shut the doors and blotted out the chandeliers.

3. (chiefly, Britain, Christianity) An usher#Noun|usher; also, in major#Adjective|major ecclesiastical landmarks, a tour guide.
4. (Britain) An attendant upon a dignitary, such as a bishop or dean, a justice, etc.
   • 1725, John Strype, Annals of the Reformation and Establishment of Religion, and Other Various Occurrences in the Church of England, during Queen Elizabeth’s Happy Reign, Oxford: Clarendon, 1824, Vol. I, Part I, Chapter 23, p. 408,

     When she came to her place she opened the book, and perused it, and saw the pictures, but frowned and blushed; and then shut it, (of which several took notice,) and calling the verger, bade him bring her the old book, wherein she was formerly wont to read.