The history of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God Church is closely intertwined with the development of the Russian community in the Sea Cliff area. In the 1920s, only two or three families lived here, but by the 1960s their number had increased to two hundred. The community was served by the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God Church and two other Russian Orthodox churches. Initially, the church was a small chapel in a garage, but it was later rebuilt into a beautiful building.

In the 1930s, Sea Cliff became a popular summer vacation spot, and many Russian families came here. Some decided to stay, as housing was affordable. However, before World War II, there were few Russian families here. A significant growth of the community began in the 1940s, especially after the war.

The first Russian families who settled in Sea Cliff traveled to services at the nearest Orthodox churches in Whitestone and East Elmhurst, which were more than ten miles away. This prompted local residents to create their own parish. They petitioned Metropolitan Theophilus, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, who suggested holding an organizational meeting. In January 1942, such a meeting took place under the guidance of Father Alexander Tsuglevich, a priest at the Holy Protection Cathedral in New York City. At the meeting in the home of Ivan L. Pushkin, all Orthodox residents from Sea Cliff, Glen Cove, Grass Valley, Great Neck, and Little Neck were present. In April 1942, permission was granted to open a chapel, temporarily served by clergy from New York. Boris Ivanovich Ryabov provided a garage for the chapel and agreed to donate part of his property to the church community.

The parish was officially registered on November 30, 1942. The founders were Vasily Musin-Pushkin, Theodore Lodyensky, Georgy Gilsher, Boris Ryabov, Ivan Lvovich Pushkin, Vasily Vadkovsky, and Peter Fekula.