Begun building as a wooden church in March of 1907 on Mostova Street in Pristan (Bùtóu) district, Harbin. According to The Church life in Manchuria in the beginning of the XX century by Fr Dionisy Pozdnyaev, the church was consecrated by Archbishop Evsevy (Eusebius) of Vladivostok on November 23/December 6, 1908 in the name of Saint Sophia (Holy Wisdom).
In November 1912, the church was rebuilt of masonry at 73 Shuǐdào Street (corner lot of Zhaolin Street and Tòulóng Street) in Butou District.
To accommodate an outgrowing parish, construction of a new temple on Toulong Street in Butou District began in September of 1923. After almost a decade, it was finally consecrated on December 12/25, 1932 as the new Hagia Sofia.