The church, built in 1864 according to the project of David Ivanovich Grimm, professor of architecture at the Academy of Arts, is located deep in the picturesque Mikhailovsky Garden overlooking the Gulf of Finland. The original building in Suzdal-Pereiaslav style was the house church of the family of Grand Duke Michael Nicolaevich until the Revolution of 1917. Family members of the murdered monarch, later proclaimed martyrs, prayed in this church.

Then, at various times, there was an orphanage, a German hospital, a boarding house and even a grocery store. The church survived the years of Soviet era, the years of neglect and destruction, when property of the church was looted and the walls were partially demolished for building materials. Nevertheless, the temple survived, and during the last decade it was rebuiltdue tothe efforts of hegumen Evstafy (Zhakov) and numerous benefactors.

Restoration of the original unique image of the temple began in 1998. A new life for the temple started in 2007 when a church was opened there in memory of professor Yuri Novitsky, who died along with metropolitan Benjamin of Petrograd in 1922 and later was glorified by the Church as a martyr for faith.