The cathedral was built between 1898 and 1906 according to the design of Kazan diocesan architect F.N. Malinovsky. Funding for the construction came from the diocesan treasury and voluntary donations. A significant role in financing was played by the abbess of the monastery, Apfiya A.K. Yumina, who invested considerable effort and personal savings. In 1914, the interior walls of the cathedral were painted with the support of Moscow manufacturer S.S. Mechnikov. The cathedral is designed in a cross-dome composition, with its vaults supported by four pillars. The choir is located opposite the altar at the level of the central dome space, accessed by a cast-iron spiral staircase. The building is topped with a massive light drum under a spherical dome with a cross. The semi-spherical volumes adjacent to the central part and oriented to the cardinal directions are covered by conches. The entrances to the cathedral from the west, north, and south are highlighted by portals with arched openings. The main entrance is adorned with a multi-windowed annex, flanked by narthex cells. Decorative towers with domes and crosses are located at the corners of the main volume. The windows are arched and vary in size, framed by archivolts of different profiles. The walls are decorated with semicircular pilasters, niches, entablatures, cornices, and friezes at various levels. The doors, stairs, parapets, and crosses are made of wrought metal. The decorative appeal of the temple is enhanced by the combination of red brick and white lime plaster. Currently, the cathedral is the main dominant feature of the southeastern part of the island.

On October 18, 2014, Metropolitan Anastasius of Kazan and Tatarstan, along with Bishop Methodius of Almetyevsk and Bugulma and the clergy of the Tatarstan diocese, consecrated the restored Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God 'Joy of All Who Sorrow' of the Ioanno-Predtechensky Monastery on the island-city of Sviyazhsk. The temple has gained new life thanks to the support of the 'Revival' fund.