Fr Sergey Bgorodin (center)
photo from Shanghai Library

The temple began to be built with the blessing of Vladyka Simon, on Dec. 24, 1926 when the center the Russian diaspora was in the Broadway area.

The first priest was Fr. E.Yahontov; later Fr. Sergey Bgorodin.

There was a church choir at the temple (Fr. Deacon Konovalov) and the Ladies' Charitable Committee which helped the poor and the orphans.