The Church in honor of the holy prophet Elijah in Sergiev Posad is one of the ancient temples of the city. It is located in the historical center, near the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, on a picturesque hill reflected in the waters of the Kellar pond.

This place was previously home to the village of Panino with 13 villages, known since the 15th century. In the 1450s, Grand Duke Vasily II transferred it to the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Although there are no mentions of the church in Panino, it is likely that a church existed there. The village was poor and by the 16th century had become deserted, and after the Time of Troubles and intervention, it completely disappeared. After the Deulino Truce of 1618, the Streltsy and Pushkarskaya slobodas emerged on the site of Panino, first mentioned in 1622-1624, where the garrison of the Trinity fortress was located. The Pushkars and Streltsy wished to build a church near their homes. No later than 1645, a wooden Kazan church with a chapel of the prophet Elijah was erected here, built by Archimandrite Adrian, cellarer Avraamy Podlesov, and treasurer Simon Azarin. The dedication of the altars is associated with the liberation of Moscow from Polish-Lithuanian invaders. In 1612, the second militia of Minin and Pozharsky passed through the Trinity-Sergius Monastery. The Ilyinsky chapel appeared almost at the same time, related to the activities of Dionysius of Radonezh, who restored the monastery after the sieges. The first wooden church, according to the 1684 Census Book, was tent-like. In the 18th century, it became dilapidated, and in 1727 it was dismantled and rebuilt. A fire in 1746 destroyed both churches. In 1747, a new Ilyinsky church was built, and a chapel replaced the Kazan church. In 1752, the chapel was replaced by a new Kazan church, which existed until 1958. It was a rare example of wooden architecture of the tiered type. In the late 1760s, the construction of the stone Ilyinsky temple began, completed in 1773. The church was consecrated by Archimandrite Pavel Zernov. In 1878, a chapel in honor of the Iberian icon of the Mother of God appeared.

The stone Ilyinsky church, one of the most beautiful in Sergiev Posad, is executed in the style of developed baroque. Architect V.I. Baldin noted its elegance and expressive silhouette. Inside, a five-tiered iconostasis, wall paintings of the 19th century, created by Ivan Malyshev's artel, have been preserved. In 1889-1890, Konstantin Malyshev updated the paintings and laid a tiled floor. In the late 19th century, the church changed slightly in appearance. The stone Ilyinsky church and the wooden Kazan church formed a picturesque composition, which can now only be judged by photographs. After the revolution, the Kazan church became empty and was dismantled in 1958. The Ilyinsky church remained the only functioning one in the city and became the center of liturgical life. Notable priests served here, including Archpriest Alexander Maslov and Nikolai Benevolenksy, who was canonized as a new martyr. In 1941, there were plans to close the church, but the war that began prevented this. In 1946, Stalin allowed the resumption of monastic life in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The Ilyinsky church assisted the monastery by sharing books and other church items. Notable spiritual leaders served as rectors, such as Archpriest Vsevolod Shpiller and Tikhon Pelikh. In 2001, the center of the Sergiev Posad diocese was transferred to the Assumption church. The rector of the parish became Priest Sergey Didkovsky, who improved the territory around the church. The clergy of the church care for local institutions, paying special attention to children from the boarding school. In 2000, a house church was established in honor of the great martyr Panteleimon.