[4] After the integration of the Baku Khanate into the Russian Empire under the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, a naval station was established on Sarı Island, located slightly north of Lankaran.

The ships of this flotilla were responsible for border control and the inspection of cargo on vessels traveling between Iran, Baku, Astrakhan, and back.

On Sarı Island, facilities such as barracks for the Caspian Flotilla personnel, headquarters, food storage warehouses, and a hospital were constructed.

"[5] In 1843, due to an increase in mortality rates caused by unfavorable climatic conditions on Sarı Island, the Caspian Flotilla stationed nearby was disbanded by decree of Russian Emperor Nicholas I.

Until 1844, a small guard detachment remained on Sarı Island to oversee the facilities, including the now-deserted church, which had been left without clergy.

[5] According to the 39th issue of the "Kavkaz" newspaper from 1855, the church was constructed by members of the Caspian Sea Department, in honor of the chief of the Russian Volunteer Fleet and Regiment.

Additionally, its proximity to Bazarnaya Street (now Azerbaijan Avenue), which intersected the Shamakhi Road, made the church conveniently accessible for visiting officials.

As a result, on August 15, 1873, by order of Emperor Alexander II, the church was transferred to the 66th Baku Governorate Battalion (later known as the Salyan Reserve Regiment) to meet the needs of the military unit.

[9] In 1905, on the occasion of the centenary of the Caspian Sea Battalion, Colonel Mamvriyski, the commander of the Salyan Regiment, requested the city mayor to approve renovations for the church.

After 1909, services at the former Naval Church were conducted by Aleksandr Levintsov, who initially worked as a law teacher in city schools (1911), and later by Priest Vasili Khidasheli (1913).

After the Second World War, recognizing the role of religion in the defeat of Nazi Germany, the Soviet authorities returned the building to the Russian Orthodox Church.

While in Moscow, he met with Bishop Hermogen (Orekhov), a seminary classmate, and the then Archbishop of Tallinn and Estonia, Patriarch Alexy II.

[7] These meetings facilitated the donation of significant religious items to the church, including a three-tiered carved iconostasis by Palekh artists and icons of Saints Cyril and Methodius, as well as those of Prince Vladimir and Princess Olga.

On Aliyev's verbal instruction, essential construction materials were provided to repair the damaged church, contributed by members of the Central Committee affiliated with the parish.

[6] After Azerbaijan gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, the outbreak of the First Nagorno-Karabakh War led to a severe economic crisis in the country.

This difficult situation made it impossible to properly maintain the Archangel Michael Church, implement heating systems, or carry out regular repairs.

[6] On May 25, 2001, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Alexy II, visited the Archangel Michael Church in Baku and led a prayer service there.

[12] Earlier, in 2000, under the initiative of Archbishop Alexander Ishein of the Baku Diocese, construction began on a lower chapel dedicated to the Holy Apostle Bartholomew in the church's basement.

By 2015, with support from Yuri Dmitriyevich Yakovlev, Chairman of the Management Board of "VTB Bank-Azerbaijan" OJSC, the church's roof was completely replaced.

Additionally, under a pro bono project led by architect Sabir Maharramov, new windows, decorative grilles, and a heating system were installed.

The project involved restoring the church's facade, installing a gilded dome, constructing a bell tower, and beautifying the interior.

However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting quarantine measures in Azerbaijan caused temporary disruptions to the dining hall's operations due to food supply challenges.

With support from VTB Bank-Azerbaijan and Yelo Bank, the church's social department initiated a charity program in March 2020, distributing food packages to families in need.

According to the existing agreement, church members visit correctional facilities, where they meet with individuals serving sentences and hold services, including occasional baptisms.

Every Sunday, the church holds a free religious school for children, where subjects such as the Bible, choir, and iconography are taught after the service.

The church also organized free courses for the Russian-speaking segment of Azerbaijani society, who faced difficulties in participating in social, political, and cultural activities due to language barriers.

[6] On June 23, 2023, Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan, along with Archbishop Feofilakt of Pyatigorsk and Cherkessk, who was temporarily managing the Baku Diocese, visited the Archangel Michael Church.