The village of Safonovka is first mentioned in the Revision Tales of 1748. The sloboda of Durassovka belonged to the landowner, retired major Polikarp Evsigneevich Durassov, who served as the voivode of Oboyan from 1731 to 1733. Later, it became the estate of lady A. E. Safonova. From 1779 to 1849, Safonovka was owned by collegiate secretary I. N. Safonov. In 1756, the Mikhailovsky church was built in Safonovka, next to which a church parish school operated. The church was destroyed in 1933-1934, but the school continued to function for some time.

On December 27, 1999, in the village of Olkhovatka of the Safonovsky rural district, the parish of the Church of the Nativity of Christ was registered, located in the building of a former school built in 1904. The parish holds icons created by local artist V. G. Lykov.