Pedel
A Pedel is an officer in universities in the Netherlands who acts as a master of ceremonies. The word "pedel" is derived from the Latin bidellus generalis, the same root from which comes the word Beadle, the name for various similar but not identical offices in Scotland and England. The office of Pedel can be traced back as far as 1245, and first originated in Paris. As of 2005 the office is an entirely ceremonial one, the Pedel leading public processions and acting as the master of ceremonies at graduations and Ph.D examinations. As a master of ceremonies, the Pedel is largely mute. The only words that a Pedel utters in public are " ", announcing that the allotted time for a Ph.D. examination has expired.
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