CONSISTORY, at Rome, denotes the college of cardinals, or the pope's senate and council, before which causes are pleaded. Du Cange derives the word from consistorium, that is, locus ubi consistitur; a vestibule, gallery, or anti-chamber, where the courtiers wait for admission, and so called a consistente multitudine.
The consistory is the first court, or tribunal of Rome, and never meets, except when the pope chuses to invoke it. The pope presides in it in person, mounted on a magnificent throne, and habited in his pontifical robes; whilst on the right are the cardinal-bishops and priests, and on the left the cardinal-deacons. The place where it is held is a large hall in the apostolical palace, where princes and ambassadors of kings are received. The rest of the prelates, the prothonotaries, auditors of the rota, and other officers, are seated on the steps of the throne; whilst the courtiers sit on the ground, ambassadors on the right, and consistorial and fiscal advocates behind the cardinals.
Besides the public, there is also a private consistory, held in a retired chamber, and called the chamber of pepegay, where the pope's throne is only raised two steps high. Nobody is admitted except the cardinals, whose opinions are collected, and called sentences. Here are first proposed and passed all bulls for bishoprics, abbeys, and the like; and hence bishoprics and abbeys are said to be consistorial benefices, because they must be proposed in the consistory, the annates paid to the pope, and his bulls taken. Anciently they were elective; but by the concordat, which abolishes elections, they are appointed to be collated by the pope alone, on the nomination of the prince.