[4] Carpatho-Rusyn[5] immigrants constructed the church in 1913 to serve the growing mining community of nearby Muddy.

The church was built in honor of the recently canonized saint, Joasaph of Belgorod, and funds were provided by Czar Nicholas II.

[7][8] Along with the Holy Protection Church in Royalton (which was built to mimic St. Ioasaphs),[9] St Mary's Orthodox Church in Madison, St. Iosaph's was among the first of several Orthodox churches built to serve immigrant mining communities in southern Illinois.

Others included the towns of Benld, Buckner,[10] Grand Tower, and Dowell.

[11] After years of disuse, the church was dismantled in 2019.,[12][13] Several icons were relocated to St.