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

At a ceremony in St. Peter's Square known as a consistory, Francis "created" 21 new cardinals, the red-hatted "princes of the Church" who are his closest advisers at the Vatican and around the world.

From Reuters • Sep. 30, 2023

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

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

In announcing the Aug. 27 consistory, Francis also announced he would host two days of talks the following week to brief the cardinals about his recent apostolic constitution reforming the Vatican bureaucracy.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 4, 2022

The writer or writers, as the examination before the consistory of the locality proved, are not to be sought among the pastors whose names are appended.

From Church History, Vol. 3 of 3 by Kurtz, J. H.