In 1728, a wooden church was constructed on Vasilievsky Island, at the intersection of Bolshoi Prospekt and Line 6. The alleged author of the project was D.A. Trezzini. The church was consecrated in the name of the Holy Apostle Andrew in 1732 and was intended for the celebration of the Knights of the St. Andrew Order. In 1744, the church received the status of a cathedral.

Members of the royal family and many famous personalities of that time, including M. Lomonosov and V. Trediakovsky attended the services in a new church. Another church, designed by G. Trezzini was built nearby between 1740 to 1745. The consecration took place in 1760 in the name of the Three Ecumenical Saints. The premises of the Three Saints church were mainly used for the sacristy of St. Andrew's Cathedral, the church library and the archive.

On July 4, 1761, a wooden church burned down during a thunderstorm. July 18, 1764 the fundament of a new church was laid under the direction of A. Vista. That was the church which survived to the present day. Construction was completed by 1780. The opened temple became the center of the Knights of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew. In 1786 a bell tower was built, and in 1790 a chapel. In 1797, a bas-relief was installed over the entrance depicting the Order of St. Andrew, which was carried by two angels.

In the second half of the 19th century, the “Help the Poor” society began to operate at the church, which eventually became the largest parish charity in Russia.

After the revolution, the temple fell into decay, then it was plundered and closed. The building was used as a warehouse.

In 1928, the bells were removed from the bell tower, transferred to the Peter and Paul Fortress, and subsequently remelted. Later on, the building had been rented by various institutions. During the Great Patriotic War, the facades, roof, iconostasis, and interior were damaged. In 1992, the temple was restored and returned to believers. The church of the Three Saints was also returned. To this day, the Cathedral has kept a magnificent carved wooden 17-meter gilded iconostasis of the XVIII century, one of the oldest in the city.

In 1995-1996, gilded crosses were installed on the domes of the temple. In 2001, in honor of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Order of St. Andrew , an obelisk was erected in front of the church. In 2007, a bust of F.A. Golovin was open in the square near the church.

Church services are held every day.

Rector - Archpriest Michael Mokropolov.