In the 17th century, Zatsepskaya Square was one of the main places for customs control. According to legend, to organize the movement of carts and avoid congestion, a chain was stretched along the street, and merchants with goods waited their turn 'behind the chain.' There is another version of the name's origin: carts could have been 'caught' for inspection. Traditionally, a church was built at the entrance to the city, and in Zatsepa it was dedicated to Saints Flora and Laurus.

In the late 16th century, shortly after the walls of the Zemlyanoy City, the new border of Moscow, were erected, coachmen from Polyanka moved here, founding the Kolomenskaya-Yamskaya sloboda. This name was used for part of Dubininskaya Street until 1922. The coachmen built the first wooden church in honor of Saints Flora and Laurus, the patrons of livestock, especially horses. During the Time of Troubles, the church burned down, and in 1628 a new temple was consecrated in honor of Saints Peter and Paul, with an altar dedicated to Flora and Laurus. In 1738, the building burned down again, and a stone church was built in its place. The dedication changed: the main altar became in the name of the icon of the Mother of God 'Joy of All Who Sorrow,' with altars dedicated to Flora and Laurus and Peter and Paul. The final appearance of the church was formed in the 19th century: in 1835, a refectory with altars and a bell tower were built, and in 1861-62, a new square was erected.

The church is executed in a unified Empire style. The decor is restrained, but the size makes it the central object of Zatsepskaya Square.

The temple operated longer than other churches in the area, but was closed in 1938. The building became a workshop for a factory, the interiors were destroyed, the internal space was divided into floors, the dome was removed, and the bell tower was destroyed to the first tier, with many facade details lost. The surrounding buildings disappeared, including the clergy house. A tram turnaround circle was made around the church. Due to vibrations, cracks appeared, toxic vapors harmed the walls, and the ground was contaminated with waste. Only in 1991 did restoration begin, and the factory moved out. By the 850th anniversary of Moscow, the church was returned to its historical appearance, and the dome and bell tower were restored.

In 2015-2016, work was carried out on the facades of the bell tower, narthexes, and refectory, as well as on the volumes of the temple. The roof of the bell tower dome was cleaned and painted, and lost fragments were restored. The restoration of the northern and southern porches included the preservation of the original stone steps.

The temple became a laureate of the 'Moscow Restoration-2016' competition in the nomination for 'best organization of repair and restoration work.'