Papal consistory

The term consistory comes from the Latin: con-sistere; "stand together".^[5] Early popes conferred with their Roman presbytery which included the deacons appointed to oversee different parts of Rome. This tradition continued as deacons were replaced with cardinals and those cardinals (from among whom the pope was chosen) continued to meet at the request of successive popes.^{[citation needed]}

Consistories became an opportunity for the pope to decide matters of state and dispense justice directly, with the support and advice of Roman bishops and those bishops from other regions who happened to be in Rome. Pope Leo IV ordered that consistories be held twice weekly. Pope John VIII relaxed that edict slightly and an order of twice-monthly consistories.^[5] With the Gregorian Reform, the Church limited outside influences on the papacy and the selection of popes and the power of cardinals increased. Tradition developed that the pope would use consistories (closer to twice-yearly by the 17th century) to reveal a list of those that were to be elevated to the rank of cardinal.^{[citation needed]}

Eventually, responsibility for matters of justice was transferred to the Roman Rota and the functions of the Church were transferred to the Roman Curia reducing the need for regular consistories. Subsequently, consistories became primarily ceremonial in function.^[5]

At a consistory for the creation of cardinals, the pope creates new cardinals in the presence of a number, if not all, of the cardinals. Though the names of the new cardinals have been announced in advance, they only become cardinals at the consistory when the pope formally publishes the decree of elevation, even if the new cardinal is not present.^[a]

New cardinals present are presented with their rings, zucchetto (small skullcaps), and biretta (four-cornered silk hats) by the pope.^[b]

The zucchetto and the biretta are scarlet, the distinctive color of cardinals' vesture.

At the consistory new cardinals, with certain exceptions, are assigned titular churches in the Diocese of Rome.^[c]

Pope Benedict XVI created cardinals at five consistories.^[6] In 2007 and 2010 he held a day-long meeting with the entire College, the cardinals designate, and various advisers on the day preceding the Consistory of Creation.

Pope Francis followed this custom for his first two consistories.^[7] His 2014 consistory for creating new cardinals was preceded by an extraordinary consistory where Cardinal Walter Kasper gave an address designed to launch the discussions of the Synod on the Family held later in the year. In 2015 a similar extraordinary consistory on the eve of a consistory to create cardinals discussed the reform of the Roman Curia just a few days before Francis formed the Council of Cardinals to advise him on that reform.^[8] Francis has created cardinals at eight consistories at roughly annual intervals, as of August 2022^[update].^[9]

• List of the creations of the cardinals
• In pectore, a way of creating a cardinal without public announcement

Additional sources

• Guido Marini, "Modifications to the Rite Approved by Benedict XVI: A Consistory between Tradition and Innovation", Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, Retrieved 31 August 2017

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Papal consistories.

• "Consistory" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.
• "Roman Catholic Consistories for the creation of Cardinals form 1903 to 2005". wedept.fiu.edu. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018.^{[self-published source]}