consistory

American  

[kuhn-sis-tuh-ree] / kənˈsɪs tə ri /

noun

plural

consistories

1. any of various ecclesiastical councils or tribunals.

2. the place where such a council or tribunal meets.

3. the meeting of any such body.

4. Roman Catholic Church. a solemn assembly of the whole body of cardinals, summoned and presided over by the pope.

5. Anglican Church. a diocesan court for dealing with ecclesiastical and spiritual questions, held in the cathedral church and presided over by the bishop, the bishop's chancellor, or the commissary.

6. (in certain Reformed churches) the governing board of a local church or congregation.

7. any assembly or council.

8. Obsolete. a council chamber.

---

consistory British  

/ ˌkɒnsɪˈstɔːrɪəl, kənˈsɪstərɪ /

noun

1. Church of England

   1. the court of a diocese (other than Canterbury) administering ecclesiastical law

   2. the area in a church where the consistory meets

2. RC Church an assembly of the cardinals and the pope

3. (in certain Reformed Churches) the governing body of a local congregation or church

4. archaic a council or assembly

---

Other Word Forms

• consistorial adjective
• consistorian adjective
• nonconsistorial adjective

Etymology

Origin of consistory

1275–1325; Middle English consistorie < Anglo-French < Late Latin consistōrium meeting place, equivalent to Latin consist ( ere ) ( consist ) + -( t ) ōrium -tory ²

Example Sentences

The ceremony to install them, known as a consistory, will be held on Sept. 30, Francis announced during his noon prayer to pilgrims and tourist in St. Peter's Square.

From Reuters • Jul. 9, 2023

Cardinals are seen before a consistory ceremony to install 14 new cardinals in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, June 28, 2018.

From Reuters • Aug. 25, 2022

After the next consistory, the number of voting-age cardinals from Asia and Africa will have nearly doubled, compared with the conclave that elected Francis.

From Washington Post • Jun. 7, 2022

Those rumors gained steam last week when Francis announced a consistory to create 21 new cardinals scheduled for Aug. 27.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2022

Paul IV. dispensed with the usual formalities; he was preconised in a full consistory on the 16th December, 1557, and his bulls were expedited.

From The History of the Inquisition of Spain from the Time of its Establishment to the Reign of Ferdinand VII. by Llorente, Juan Antonio