Once, the lands where the village of Rybnitsy and the surrounding villages are now located belonged to Ksenia Ivanovna Shestova, the mother of the first tsar from the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich. In 1631, Shestova transferred these lands to the Moscow Novospassky Monastery, and it was then that Rybnitsy was first mentioned in written sources. In the early 18th century, an icon of the Merciful Savior was found in Rybnitsy, after which the Savior Church was built on the picturesque bank of the Volga. In the second half of the 18th century, the village belonged to the well-known nobleman of Catherine II, General-Poruchik K.E. Sivers. Until the mid-18th century, local residents visited the church in the village of Bor-Golyshkin, located three versts from Rybnitsy. The spring floods of the Volga created many inconveniences, and the residents appealed to the Yaroslavl Spiritual Consistory with a request to build a church in Rybnitsy. Permission for construction was obtained on August 10, 1722, after which work began, and the church was consecrated in 1759.

On the same site, from 1789 to 1792, a stone church was built with the funds of peasant Kirill Mikhailovich Kuskov, to which parishes from four villages joined: Utkino, Svechkino, Tyumba, and Ovsianik. Next to the church stood a four-tiered bell tower in the classical style. The church had three altars: the main one in the name of the Merciful Savior Not Made by Hands on the southern side, in the name of Saint and Miracle Worker Nicholas on the northern side, and in the name of Cyril of Novoezersk. The plasterers who decorated the capital's churches did not forget about the Rybnitsy church, adorning it with exquisite stucco. The capitals of the columns of the first tier, made in the Corinthian style, became a true decoration of this majestic structure. Since 1890, the church elder was Konstantin Mikhailovich, the brother of sculptor A.M. Opekushin. In 1896, at his initiative, a kiosk with two icons was installed on the porch, which were consecrated on August 16, 1896, on the day of the church holiday.

With the increase in the number of parishioners, the church needed expansion. The elder invited architect V.I. Shishkin, who proposed to combine the summer and winter churches. The estimate was 5000 rubles, half of which was contributed by the elder himself. On August 16, 1897, the renovated church was consecrated. In this church, the young Alexander Mikhailovich Opekushin was baptized, and in 1923, he was also buried here. The great sculptor was buried in the family plot of the church cemetery. For many years, his grave remained abandoned, and only in 1972 did a modest granite tombstone appear with the inscription: "Sculptor Academician Opekushin Alexander Mikhailovich." The tombstone was made according to the project of architect B.V. Bukhta. Behind it lies the grave of his father Mikhail Yevdokimovich with remnants of brickwork, on which stood a bronze bust made by his son. The bust is now kept in the Yaroslavl Art Museum. Konstantin Mikhailovich himself is buried here as well.

The church was closed in 1961. Over time, not a trace remained of its former beauty and grandeur. In 1993, the church was returned to the believers and is slowly being restored.