An assembly of priests from the Onești Deanery conducted the Sacrament of Holy Unction on Monday at the chapel of the Târgu Ocna Prison Hospital, a site historically linked to the newly canonized Saint Gerasimus of Tismana, who was imprisoned there during the communist era.
The service, presided over by Father Nicolae Zaharia, Dean of Onești, was attended by prison staff and inmates currently in custody.
The clergy also held a memorial service for deceased prisoners, honoring those who passed away while incarcerated.
Historical Significance of Târgu Ocna Prison Hospital
Târgu Ocna Prison Hospital is Moldavia’s oldest penitentiary institution, founded in 1856 by Prince Grigorie Ghica to house inmates who worked and lived underground in the Târgu Ocna salt mines.
After the construction of the prison, inmates were permitted to sleep above ground at night while continuing to extract salt from underground deposits during the day.
Notable prisoners once held at this facility include lay-confessor Valeriu Gafencu, who was incarcerated there in 1949.
The current prison chapel was reestablished in 2002 on its original site. Historically, the altar area of the chapel served as an entry point for inmates descending into the mines for daily labor.
Photo: Archdiocese of Roman and Bacău
