On March 26, 1907, the Kharkiv Spiritual Consistory received a project and estimate from diocesan architect V.N. Pokrovsky for the construction of a new stone church in the village of Gnilytsia. The project envisioned a capacity of 600 to 650 people and was designed with an emphasis on durability and fire safety. Wood was used only for the roofs, while ceilings, floors, and vaults were to be made of non-combustible materials. The foundations were planned to be made of stone with lime mortar, and cement was to protect the walls from dampness. The exterior plinth was to be faced with stone, while the walls were to be built of brick. The floors were to be made of terracotta tiles, and the windows were to have iron frames. Inside the church, channels were planned to collect water from the windows. The roofs were to be covered with iron, and above the narthex under the bell tower, a choir for 50 people was to be placed. The church had three entrances for parishioners and one to the altar through the sacristy. A storage room for church supplies was planned on the second floor near the choir.

On June 19, 1908, the project was approved by the Spiritual Consistory, and on July 12 of the same year, by the Construction Department of the Provincial Administration. On August 2, 1909, the site for the laying of the church in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist was consecrated, and construction began. In December 1912, the rural community appealed to Archbishop Arseniy for assistance in completing the interior finishing of the church. In April 1913, V.N. Pokrovsky inspected the church and confirmed that it was built correctly and solidly, and there were no obstacles to its consecration. In the summer of 1913, the church was consecrated by Archbishop Arseniy.

A church was built in Belopolye based on the same project, which is still in operation today. Part of the funds for the construction of the church in Gnilytsia was provided by the local landowner I.I. Kiryan. The church building is made of red brick produced locally, bearing the owner's factory mark. The project of the church, found in the archives, gives an idea of its original appearance: a bell tower, refectory, central part with one dome, altar, sacristy, and sacristy. The church had four entrances, the main one decorated with double doors and relief crosses. The bell tower was topped with a ribbed dome with an onion-shaped cupola. The central part had a square shape with an octagonal light drum and decorative cupola.

The church is executed in the neo-Russian style with elements of neo-Byzantine and Ukrainian folk architecture. It represents an example of the combination of Russian architecture of the 17th century and Ukrainian architecture. Currently, the church building has suffered greatly: the bell tower and dome have been lost, and the interior has been disrupted due to the use of the building as a warehouse. The church needs restoration.