PRECONIZATION. – It is the proclamation of the elevation of an ecclesiastic to the dignity of bishop or cardinal. It is carried out after an informative process, requested by the Congregation of the Consistory (see BISHOP).
In the past, preconization took place in the first consistory held after the vacancy of the episcopal see, upon the proposal of a cardinal; a distinct formula was used for the episcopal dignity and for the cardinalitial dignity, which was addressed to the Supreme Pontiff: after the programmatic formula, a brief mention was made of the state of the Church and of the qualities of the person to be promoted; all these formalities replaced the election. In the second consistory, the nomination was confirmed with juridical value: the promoting cardinal, with an appropriate formula, transmitted the proclamation to the cardinal vice-chancellor.
At present, since consistories are very rare, preconization is carried out by means of a papal brief.