Măgura Ocnei Monastery, located on a mountain spur near the town of Tg. Ocna is first mentioned in documents in 1653, when a wooden hermitage was built. Among the founding donors is Salomia, the daughter of Constantin Donose from Dărmăneşti. In 1757, the hermitage is mentioned as the metoc of the "St. Spiridon" from Iasi, having a wooden church dedicated to "St. Gheorghe", rebuilt in 1742. In 1803, it was rebuilt from stone and received the patron saint "Buna Vestire", functioning as a place of worship until 1964, when it was demolished by the communists.
The monastery was an active witness to the battles of the First World War, being located close to the front line. The demolition in 1964 was motivated by the desire to build a sports base and recreation area. After 1990, with the initiative of Archimandrite Epifanie Bulancea, a committee was formed for the reconstruction of the monastery.
The reconstruction began on March 3, 1990, based on a project by the architect Săvulescu from Bacău. The church dedicated to the "Ascension of the Lord" and the adjacent buildings were completed in 10 years, through the efforts of the nuns under the guidance of Father Epifanie Bulancea. The architecture respects the Stefanian style, and the neo-Byzantine fresco painting was done by Ioan and Petru Pașcu from Agăș-Bacău.
The more than 26 nuns, guided by priest Epifanie Bulancea and mother abbot Lucretia Bulancea, have different obediences, including in painting workshops. The buildings include 100 accommodations, and the life of the monastery is centered on the daily liturgical program. On September 15, 2001, the monastery was consecrated in the presence of a large number of believers, resuming its history under God's protection.
Sursa: www.manastireamagura.ro
