liturgico

Liturgico is an adjective used in several Romance languages, including Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese, to denote anything related to liturgy, the body of public rites and worship constituting the sacred services of a religious community. The term comes from Latin liturgia, which in turn derives from Greek leitourgia, literally meaning “a public work” or “service for the people.” In these languages, forms such as litúrgico (Spanish), liturgico (Italian), and litúrgico (Portuguese) align in meaning, with diacritical marks varying by language.

In religious contexts, liturgico describes rites, texts, vestments, music, and other elements that belong to worship as prescribed by a liturgical tradition. It is commonly used in reference to the liturgical calendar, liturgical colors, and the structure of worship services, including prayers, readings, and sacraments. The related field of study, liturgology or liturgics, investigates the history, theology, and practice of liturgy across traditions.

The term is contrasted with secular or non-liturgical usage, where it may appear in descriptions of church architecture, liturgical music, or ceremonial practices that are designed to express or support public worship. While the exact contents of liturgy vary among denominations, the core idea behind liturgico remains the same: relating to the organized, communal act of worship conducted within a religious framework.