THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SAINT PETER IN EXETER THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SAINT PETER IN EXETER
Mr David Edwards,
1 The Cloisters, Cathedral Close, Exeter, EX1 1HS, Tel: Office 01392 274779, Home 01392 424752
The Virgers are responsible for the security, cleanliness and layout of the Cathedral. They prepare the furniture, vestments, and other items pertaining to worship.
They play an important part in the Liturgy, especially processions and ceremonial when they carry the Staff or Rod, in Latin virga, from which they derive their title. In earlier times this was put to practical use to clear a way for the Clergy through the sometimes unruly elements in the Cathedral. These included animals as well as people, hence the designation of one of the Virgers as the Dog Whipper.
It falls to the Virgers to begin and end the Cathedral day, unlocking the building and ringing the curfew every evening on the Peter Bell . This clock bell is struck as many times as there are days in the month.
Now that the Cathedral is visited by around 400,000 people a year and provides a venue for more than two concerts a month, as well as special services, dramatic performances, art exhibitions and displays, much of the work of Virger is involved in setting up the Cathedral for these events, then re-ordering it for worship. There is also a heavy load of overtime.
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