21-07-2026, Brussels

Nicolas Nicolaievitch Apraxine, the Longest-Standing Parishioner of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Honoured with a High Church Award.

On 21 July 2026, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, His Eminence Archbishop Simon of Brussels and Belgium presided over the Divine Liturgy at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brussels.

Concelebrating with His Eminence were Priest Vladimir Bronnikov, rector, and Priest Alexander Motorny, a cleric of the cathedral.

At the conclusion of the divine service, a high church award was solemnly presented to Count Nicolas Nicolaievitch Apraxine, the longest-standing and faithful parishioner of Saint Nicholas Cathedral. By a decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia dated 19 April 2026, in recognition of his labours for the good of the Holy Church and on the occasion of his 90th birthday, Nicolas Nicolaievitch was awarded the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, Degree I, of the Russian Orthodox Church.

After placing the insignia of the Order upon the honouree, Archbishop Simon proclaimed: “Axios!” The choir, under the direction of its choirmaster, Matushka Irina Motornaya, responded three times by chanting “Axios!” The choir then sang “Many Years” for Nicolas Nicolaievitch.

In his archpastoral address, Archbishop Simon noted that for many decades Nicolas Nicolaievitch has been an active member of the parish community and has carried the responsible duties of parish treasurer and administrator of the non-profit association Conférence Saint-Nicolas ASBL. Through his labours, he has consistently contributed to the preservation and improvement of the church, cared for its material needs and promoted the well-being of the parish. Archbishop Simon wished him God’s help and many blessed years of continued service to the Holy Church.

In his response, Nicolas Nicolaievitch warmly expressed his gratitude for the high award and the honour bestowed upon him. He spoke about his many years of participation in parish life and recalled how his path at Saint Nicholas Church had begun.

Nicolas Nicolaievitch’s relatives and friends shared the joy of this solemn occasion with him. Following the presentation of the award, they congratulated the honouree, after which Archbishop Simon, the clergy, parishioners and guests posed together for a commemorative photograph.

After the service, everyone present went upstairs to the parish refectory, where the congratulations continued in a warm and family-like atmosphere. Around the festive table, memories were shared of earlier years in the life of Saint Nicholas Church. Many parishioners recalled how they themselves were only beginning their journey in the Church, while Nicolas Nicolaievitch was already a long-standing and active member of the parish.

His unfailing kindness, tact and sincere concern for others have earned him the deep respect and affection of the parishioners. Nicolas Nicolaievitch has always been ready to support others with a kind word, sound advice and practical help.

The years of his service as a choir singer were remembered with particular warmth. For many years, Nicolas Nicolaievitch was the leading bass of the church choir. Since concluding his service in the choir in 2019, his deep voice has continued to live in the grateful memory of the parishioners, who note with a smile that his place in the bass section has remained unfilled.

The festive gathering concluded with heartfelt wishes for strength, good health, God’s help, and many blessed years.

Brief biographical note.

Count Nicolas Nicolaievitch Apraxine was born on 19 April 1936 in Tallinn, Estonia. He spent the first years of his life at the family estate of Halahalnia, situated between the Pskov-Pechory Monastery and Novy Izborsk, in that part of the former Pskov Governorate which became part of Estonia after the country gained independence.

At the end of September 1939, Nicolas Nicolaievitch arrived in Brussels. His mother joined him there one month later. Her sister, Mira Wittouck, née de Bunting, was instrumental in founding the non-profit association Conférence Saint-Nicolas ASBL. The association was established to secure legal recognition of Saint Nicholas Parish’s ownership of the building on Rue des Chevaliers and the property contained within it.

In 1946, following the return to Brussels of Archbishop Alexander (Nemolovsky), who had endured captivity and a subsequent stay in the USSR, Nicolas Nicolaievitch became a parishioner of Saint Nicholas Church.

In 1958, he joined the church choir and sang in it for two to three years. At that time, the choir was directed first by Vladimir Alexandrovich Kupfer and subsequently by Prince Alexei Andreevich Obolensky.

After returning from Africa in 1967, Nicolas Nicolaievitch continued to attend Saint Nicholas Church regularly. He took part in several pilgrimages to Russia organised by the Moscow Patriarchate, the first of which took place in 1979.

From 1988 to 2019, Nicolas Nicolaievitch once again sang in the church choir, which was directed by Tatiana Mikhailovna Reingardt.

On 28 February 1989, following the official recognition of the Orthodox faith by the Belgian State in 1985, Nicolas Nicolaievitch became the first chairman of the Saint Nicholas Church Fabric — Fabrique d’église Saint-Nicolas. This public-law institution is responsible for managing the material affairs of the officially recognised parish. Nicolas Nicolaievitch continues to hold this position to the present day.

In 1990, he was elected to represent the laity of the Diocese of Brussels and Belgium at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, at which Alexy II was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

On 1 April 1998, Nicolas Nicolaievitch was elected administrator-treasurer of the non-profit association Conférence Saint-Nicolas ASBL, succeeding Vladimir Evgenievich Drachoussoff. He continues to carry out this responsible service to the present day.