The Orthodox church in Vevey was built with the funds of Count Shuvalov in the late 19th century and consecrated in honor of St. Barbara, in memory of his daughter who died here during childbirth along with her newborn. At that time, Vevey was a popular resort among the Russian nobility, and the appearance of an Orthodox church was quite justified.

In 1872, Count Pyotr Pavlovich Shuvalov, a descendant of the miner A. G. Stroganov and a representative of one of the wealthiest families in Russia, experienced immense grief. His daughter, Varvara Petrovna, died in the Swiss city of Vevey during childbirth along with her newborn Maria. They were buried in the St. Martin cemetery in Vevey, and in their memory, the count decided to build a church.

The church's design was developed by the famous Russian architect of Swiss origin I. A. Monighetti. The church was consecrated on October 1, 1878.

Although the construction of St. Barbara's Church in Vevey was not initiated by the parish community, it became an important part of the history of the Russian community and its religious life in Switzerland in the second half of the 19th century.

In the churchyard, there is a small marble cross, a copy of the Suvorov Cross monument in the Schollenen Gorge. This tombstone belongs to Prince S.M. Golitsyn, who was buried in the St. Martin cemetery in Vevey. His grave has not survived, but the tombstone was saved and is now kept at the entrance to the church.

From 1951 to 1962, Archbishop St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco visited Switzerland and served in the church in Vevey, where his vestments are kept.

Currently, the church is under the jurisdiction of the Western European Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.