Located 200 km from Yaroslavl is a village with an unusual name, Kukoboy. There are many versions of the origin of this mysterious toponym. One of the most popular hypotheses links the village's name to the cuckoos inhabiting the surrounding forests, suggesting that the constant singing of these birds gave the area its name.

The village is first mentioned in historical chronicles in 1524, when a royal voivode bought these lands from monks for 100 rubles and a horse. Kukoboy is also considered the mythical homeland of Baba Yaga. However, the most significant landmark of the village is the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands, whose history is quite remarkable.

In 1909, an event changed the fate of this place. A wealthy merchant, Ivan Agapovich Voronin, returned from St. Petersburg after leaving his native village in his youth. During his absence, he became a first-guild merchant, opened weaving factories, and held the position of chairman of the State Bank's Accounting Committee. Upon returning after 40 years, he decided to make a gift to his fellow villagers. They were offered a choice between a railway to Poshekhonye or the construction of an Orthodox church. The villagers chose the church. Voronin commissioned a project from metropolitan architects, and the construction cost him 1 million rubles.

For the facade, a special material from Finland was used: white bricks with a pink hue, hollow inside, which served as excellent thermal insulation, as well as turquoise tiles covered with glaze. The materials were delivered by the Uhtoma River. Locals recalled that each brick was wrapped in paper and numbered. In 1912, the construction of the church was completed, and in May, it was consecrated by Bishop Tikhon of Yaroslavl and Rostov, who would later become Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. After the revolution, the church was closed, and in the 1930s, the crosses and bells were removed, and the frescoes were destroyed. The premises were used as a warehouse, and a prison was set up in the basement.