Until the second half of the 16th century, there was a church of St. John in Kadnitsy. Later, the Church of John the Theologian was built, which burned down in 1608 during the Time of Troubles. The wooden Spasskaya church with an altar in honor of John the Theologian served as a spiritual center for the residents of Kadnitsy from 1612 until the mid-18th century. The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the first stone temple in Kadnitsy, was erected in 1854 and is a monument of regional architectural significance. It is located on a steep bank of the Volga, which gave it special importance, especially for local shipbuilders and workers. The three-tiered bell tower, visible from afar, served as a beacon for river vessels and reminded workers of their homeland.

Today, only brick walls remain at the site of the once majestic church. The interior decoration has been completely lost: paintings, the original wall colors, and the iconostasis have disappeared. Cracks have appeared on the altar wall, the roof, the dome with the cross, and the altar are missing. The church has lost its 'voice,' as the bell tower has long been destroyed, and nothing remains of the fence. The temple has been abandoned for over 70 years.

Since 1992, the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, along with the chapel of Archangel Michael, has been under the jurisdiction of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese as a site of historical and cultural heritage. The Parish Council of the church in Kadnitsy has restored the walls of the Spassopreobrazhenskaya church and installed electricity at its initiative.