There were many monastaries in the are, long time ago; some of these have lated, some not. The beginnings of the Saint Fanurie Monastary, between Balaci and Siliștea-Gumești, are far before it actual reconstruction. The monastary did not have such a happy fate, due to the military movements in the area. Years back, here was a military unit here; removed in 1960, the land and typical architecture construction were given to the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of culture and then, the Alexandria and Teleorman episcopacy to set up a monastic settlement wanted by the town and neighboring towns people.
The military unit and the airport, founded here after WWII, erased any trace of the convent. There is a letter of an archbishop from Teleorman requesting the Historical Monuments Commision in 1921, the demolition of the Saint Nicholas church in the Siliștea-Gumești village and the construction of a new one on this deteriorated one’s place. Although the „old church” had less than 100 years, in its inventory we find „eight extremely valuable old icons”. It is possible that these icons came from the monastry between Balaci and Siliștea-Gumești, which had been closed not long before.
The around 30 pavilions of the military unit are occupied in the 60s by a childrens’ house (circa 1600). This house is moved out of here around the revolution. After 1990, remaining deserted, the pavilions end up almost in ruin. Doors, windows, installations disappear.
From 1998 until now, a group of monks under the care of his holiness archbishop Benedict Mihalcea, named abbot of the Saint Fanurie Monastary, had to fight to arrange and develop the monastic building surpassing many difficulties.
In 2003, with Bishop Galaction of Alexandria and Teleorman, plans to build a necessary church were initiated, to officiate religious services.
The church, in Maramures style is the only one specifically destined for a religious service, accentuating a new purpose given to the once military buildings. The church is 12×7 m in surface, the tower on the narthex 22m high and a 2m cross. The solution chosen was imposed by the reduced financial means, based mainly on donated amounts.
