consistories

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.
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            To council summons all his mighty peers,
            Within thick clouds and dark tenfold involved,
            A gloomy consistory.                  --Milton.
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   2. (Eng. Ch.) The spiritual court of a diocesan bishop held
      before his chancellor or commissioner in his cathedral
      church or elsewhere. --Hook.
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   3. (R. C. Ch.) An assembly of prelates; a session of the
      college of cardinals at Rome.
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            Pius was then hearing of causes in consistory.
                                                  --Bacon.
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   4. A church tribunal or governing body.
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   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.
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   5. A civil court of justice. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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