Saint Catherine’s Church (Biserica Sfânta Ecaterina) is a modern Romanian Orthodox church in Bârlad, built within the grounds of the Elena Beldiman Municipal Hospital. The present church was constructed between 2000 and 2012 and carries the full dedication of the Resurrection of the Lord and Saint Catherine.
A hospital chapel had already existed on the site in the 19th century, dedicated to Saint Nicholas and Saints Constantine and Helena. That earlier chapel remained in use until the 1977 earthquake, after which it was no longer suitable for services. The present church was begun in May 2000, with major support from engineer Constantin Constantinescu, who contributed to the project in memory of his wife, Dr. Irina Ecaterina Constantinescu.
The basement chapel was completed first and consecrated in September 2002, allowing services to be held while construction continued above. Work on the main church then progressed over the following decade, and the completed building was consecrated in 2012.
The church has a large contemporary Orthodox design with a broad nave, multiple domes and a prominent western entrance. Its pale rendered walls are broken by tall arched windows and darker roof surfaces, while the elevated main volume gives the building a strong presence within the hospital grounds.
