Sexton
/ˈsekstən/noun
A person who takes care of a church building and its surrounding grounds.
The sexton rang the church bells for the morning service.
Often appears as...
- church sexton
- parish sexton
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Church Role
Sextons can perform various roles, often beyond mere caretaking, including bell-ringing and assisting in services.
The sexton also helped arrange the pews for Sundays.
Pro Tip 2/3Historical Occupation
Sextons were more common in the past; modern churches may use volunteers or different titles for similar roles.
In the history book, the village sexton also taught school.
Pro Tip 3/3Cultural Nuance
The term ‘sexton’ might be unfamiliar in some cultures where churches have different administrative structures.
He had never heard of a 'sexton' until visiting the English countryside church.
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