Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Consistory?

\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. Note: 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.