The Holy Monastery of Icoana is a monastic settlement of a special beauty, situated in a picturesque natural setting at the foot of the Par\u00e2ng Mountains. Located in the commune of Crasna, in the village of C\u0103rpini\u0219 in Gorj County, the monastery offers visitors an oasis of tranquillity in the heart of the Oltene Subcarpathian Depression. Access is easy, being located about 40 km from T\u00e2rgu Jiu and only 10 km from Novaci, the starting point for the famous Transalpina road.<\/p>\n
The founding of this place of worship in the Archdiocese of Craiova is closely linked to the activity of the \u201eIcoana Welfare Committee\u201d in Bucharest and the generosity of the family of priest Ioan Popescu. In his capacity as parish priest of the \u201eIcoana\u201d Church in Bucharest, he donated the land needed to build the monastery.<\/p>\n
With the blessing of Metropolitan Nestor Vornicescu and the approval of the Holy Synod, in 1996 the monastery was officially established for a community of nuns. The sacrifice of many faithful made it possible to build this place of prayer, which continues to grow steadily.<\/p>\n
Initially, monastic life was centred around a wooden church, which served as the main place of worship until 2011.<\/p>\n
This traditional construction was built of wooden beams on a solid foundation of stone and concrete. The nave-shaped structure is classically divided into an altar, a nave and a small porch supported by wooden pillars, with a simple plank roof.<\/p>\n
Due to unfavourable climatic conditions, in 2008 work began on the walled church. Completed in 2011, the new church is dedicated to the Holy Martyrs of the Brancovan Martyrs and was later decorated with frescoes. Although a relatively young building, it has already become an attraction for pilgrims in search of a new \u201ecorner of heaven\u201d.<\/p>\n