Commissioned on 6th September 1910, the Floating Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was a wheeled steamer, the only ship of its kind in the Russian Empire.
On the day of the consecration of the floating church - 11th April 1910, a telegram was sent by Emperor Nicholas II, which stated: "I sincerely rejoice in the good work of satisfying the spiritual needs of the fishing population and thank everyone for their efforts".
The Floating Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker embarked on her maiden voyage on 29th May 1910. The entire crew, except for the captain and mechanic, consisted of priests and clergymen.
The Floating Church included a church choir and room for up to 500 parishioners. A small box office was situated near the cabin, where candles, lamps, and icons of saints were sold. There was also a faucet, where Christians took holy water. On board were also a pharmacy, a cabin for the medical assistant and a ward for several patients.
From Astrakhan, the floating church served fishing communities along the Volga delta and islands lying near the shores of the Caspian Sea.
After the October 1917 Revolution, the Bolsheviks wasted no time in closing down the Floating Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The domes were removed, and it was converted into a floating theater, receiving the name "Joseph Stalin", and later "Moryana". In the 1960s, it housed a dormitory.
