The temple, built in honor of Archbishop Athanasius of Alexandria, one of the most ancient churches of the city of Kerch, its location - a mountainside Mithridates. While in Kerch lived many Orthodox Greeks. Athanasius Stavrovich Marinaki left a will, according to which the funds were allocated in the amount of 15 000, on which the church was built near the town cemetery, consecrated in honor of his patron saint. Today, his descendants are sometimes visited this temple.

City cemetery occupies the northern slope of Mithridates, it was enclosed by a stone wall, gravestones were expensive, made of marble. Behind the cemetery carefully tended, it was planted with various trees and lilac bushes. There is a monument to FS Tommasini and Archpriest John Kumpanu. The highest place was occupied by the graves of teachers, where memorial services were committed every year in the presence of teachers and students of local schools. From the big arch walkway led straight to the temple. Along the avenue, near the church, located burial members of the Crimean War, where rested the hero of Sevastopol Defense Lieutenant General SA Sabashinsky. Today, at the site of the cemetery is a wasteland.

The facade of the church was decorated with a plaque made of marble, which was knocked out Greek inscription with the basic information about the church: the date of the construction and consecration, the name of the donor and the name of the patron saint.

Cemetery church was closed in 1923 by October 31 because of the demolition of the cemetery, and then opened in a parish church and closed again in 1937 by the decision of local authorities. They opened it only during the German occupation troops from Romania, and since then it operates continuously.

As a result of the fighting church building was damaged by shrapnel, after which it was restored. Who is in the courtyard of the temple is divided a small garden, there is the old graves, many of whom are anonymous, working lodge Sunday school and church shop. Inside the temple is relatively small and can accommodate about 350 people. In the church a lot of icons, most of whom are old icons brought parishioners in the postwar period. A particularly surprising image of a mosaic of the Saviour and the Byzantine icon of Our Lady of the letter. Among modern shrines interesting beautiful and richly decorated icon of St. Luke Crimean miracle worker with a particle of his relics and Pochaev Mother of God.