Title or appellation given in ecclesiastical circles to certain Church authorities. It literally means elevation, height. It was given in France to noble figures and members of the royal family. In the Consistory of January 30, 1630, Urban VI determined that the Cardinals should be treated in this way.
Pedro Chico González, Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy, Editorial Bruño, Lima, Peru 2006
Source: Dictionary of Catechesis and Religious Pedagogy