Feb 162009
Latin: consistere, to stand together
- a court, especially an ecclesiastical court
- a court of presbyters
- an assembly of cardinals for purposes of deliberation, presided over by the pope
The last type is secret, if only the cardinals and the pope are present; semi-public, if bishops also take part in it; and public, if Apostolic prothonotaries or other prelates are called to it.