bisericii

Biserică is a Romanian noun that commonly denotes a Christian church, referring to the building used for worship, to the religious community gathered there, or to the institution of the Church as an organization.

In terms of grammar, biserică is feminine and forms the plural as biserici. The genitive and dative singular form is bisericii, while the genitive and dative plural form is bisericilor. The word can appear in various constructions to show possession or relation, for example in phrases like calendarul bisericii (the church’s calendar) or comitetul bisericilor (the churches’ committee).

Etymology and cognates: the Romanian word is of Slavic origin and is cognate with terms for church found in many Balkan and Slavic languages, such as cerkva or tserkva in neighboring languages. The term has been adapted into Romanian through historical contact with Orthodox and other Christian communities in the region.

Usage and context: in Romania, the term covers churches of different Christian denominations, including the Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions. It also appears in religious, cultural, and historical contexts, where it may refer to church buildings, congregations, or the broader ecclesiastical structure. The adjective form bisericesc is used to describe things related to the church, such as bisericesc comunitar (church-community) or bisericesc patrimony (church property).

Overall, biserică serves as a central, neutral linguistic term in Romanian for both the physical place of worship and the broader concept of the Christian church as a community and institution.