Con*sis"to*ry (? or ?; 277) n.;
pl. Consistories (#). [L.
consistorium a place of assembly, the place where the
emperor's council met, fr. consistere: cf. F.
consistoire, It. consistorio. See Consist.]
1. Primarily, a place of standing or staying
together; hence, any solemn assembly or council.
To council summons all his mighty peers,
Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved,
A gloomy consistory.
Milton.
2. (Eng. Ch.) The spiritual court
of a diocesan bishop held before his chancellor or commissioner
in his cathedral church or elsewhere. Hook.
3. (R. C. Ch.) An assembly of
prelates; a session of the college of cardinals at
Rome.
Pius was then hearing of causes in
consistory.
Bacon.
4. A church tribunal or governing
body.
☞ In some churches, as the Dutch Reformed in America, a
consistory is composed of the minister and elders of an
individual church, corresponding to a Presbyterian church
session, and in others, as the Reformed church in France, it is
composed of ministers and elders, corresponding to a presbytery.
In some Lutheran countries it is a body of clerical and lay
officers appointed by the sovereign to superintend ecclesiastical
affairs.
5. A civil court of justice. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Con*sis"to*ry, a. Of the
nature of, or pertaining to, a consistory. "To hold
consistory session." Strype.