In March 2011, the roof of the Church of the Nativity of Jesus Christ in the village of Verkhovye, Olonets District, collapsed. Built in 1850, this church, according to Father Mikhail, the rector of the Smolensk Cathedral in Olonets, and preserved photographs, was one of the richest temples in the area. Located along the road leading to the center of Olonets, it stands out among the surrounding buildings and is valued both from an urban planning and architectural perspective.

The church consists of two parts. In 1960, a wooden annex was added to the main brick building. Inside, the temple is divided into a narthex, refectory, prayer room, and altar. The entrance is decorated with an arched portal, and the lighting is provided by elongated arched windows. The roof has a truss structure and is covered with roofing metal.

During the Soviet years, the building was used as a club. Due to the emergency condition of the attic and roof, the club was closed, and a library was placed in the wooden annex. In 1997, the church was recognized as a cultural heritage site of the Republic of Karelia.

With the revival of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1999, the building was transferred to the parish of the Smolensk Cathedral. The wooden annex was renovated for worship, but the church itself was not used and underwent no major repairs. In 2000, it was determined that the roof was in a pre-emergency state.

In March 2011, the roof could not withstand the snow, which threatened the brick walls as well. On April 5, specialists from the Center for Cultural Heritage Protection inspected the monument and calculated the cost of emergency and conservation work necessary to preserve the church until its full restoration. Archbishop Manuel of Petrozavodsk and Karelia appealed to the Head of the Republic of Karelia A.V. Nelidov for funding for this work.