Church of Elijah the Prophet has a long history. Back in 1715, in the place where now stands the church, away from the City of Peter, it was decided to establish a gunpowder factory. On the territory of Okhta plant in 1717, a chapel was built of wood and was consecrated in the name of St. Prophet Elias.

The chapel was dismantled in 1721, and began the construction of the wooden church. Sanctify the church in 1722. Subsequently, the wooden church expanded and put on a stone foundation, built a warm winter limit, which was consecrated in the name of St. Dmitri of Rostov, was founded in a small churchyard cemetery. Construction of the church in the form in which it appears to us now, was started in 1782 by the architect NA Lvov To finish construction in 1785 and in the same year was consecrated.

Designed by architect Demertsova in the early 19th century, the Church of Elijah was built and consecrated in honor of St. Alexander Nevsky chapel warm. The bulk of the temple and the warm chapel were built back to back, but not made a single whole. Ionian columns decorate the facades of the chapel: the north and south. In 1875-1877 gg. chapel joined to the main building by building on the west side of the porch of the temple, and in the chapel in the eastern part - ledge. In the early 20th century, the temple once again underwent restructuring, have built a bell tower on one tier and changed the shape of the dome.

In 1923, May 8, the Church of Elijah received the status of a cathedral. But in July 1938 the cathedral was closed, the building is handed over to the Cathedral of the local defense (MoEHE). The building of the temple in 1974, survived the fire.

Russian Orthodox Church, the church was returned at the end of the last century, in 1988. The first service after their return, carried out 22 of December of the same year, in the chapel of St. Alexander Nevsky, next year, in August, was consecrated the main temple. Since then, the temple is a complete liturgical life. Small and chapels make up the main temple complex. The main chapel was consecrated in honor of St. the prophet Elijah, small - in honor of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva and Blessed Grand Prince. Alexander Nevsky.

At the head of revival the church was Archpriest Alexander Budnikov. It was he, after half a century of oblivion given new life to the church. As in September 1988, at the opening, and now, Father Alexander is a rector.

Parishioners are mostly residents of the neighborhood of St Petersburg Rzhevka-Powder, but, as before, like to visit the temple and citizens from all parts of St. Petersburg and its environs. Pilgrims from abroad and constantly attracts Russian cities, in order to bow to the shrine of St. Petersburg suburbs.

Currently, in the Leningrad region and St. Petersburg, one of the largest deaneries is Bolsheokhtinsky deanery. This temple of the Holy Prophet Elijah - the center of the Deanery since 1977. The structure Bolsheokhtinsky deanery parish consists of 23 temples in operation, with twenty eight pripisnymi churches and six chapels pripisnymi.

All, without exception, there in the temple library, which has about 9,000 works of Orthodox art. For adults and children Sunday school, opened at the church, which is one of the best in St. Petersburg on the organization of educational process and scale. Due to the current pilgrimage at the Church service, regularly visit holy places abroad and in Russia.

Church of Elijah the Prophet was built in the spirit of the early Russian classicism and is a circular rotunda, framed by a colonnade consisting of 16 Ionic columns. Walls - yellow. Round window - and arched top - bottom are located between two columns. Round baluster held on the edge of the roof. On the roof, is located near the center of the black squat dome on a low drum. Flashlight with a cross crowns the dome. Hall, symbolizing the sky, painted in blue. The image of the Savior is written in the center of the ceiling.