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.