Life of the Common Vestry
The Common Vestry of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Mother of God, Virgin Mary, in Graz has over 300 members.
After each Divine Liturgy, we invite you to join the communal meal in the homely ancient basement.
Spiritual Leaders
Priest Basil Tolstunov (Senior Priest)
Priest Vladislav Azevs
Churchwarden
Georg Kühnelt-Leddihn
Georg was born on November 14, 1968 in Vienna, Austria, and has been a member of the Common Vestry of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Mother of God, Virgin Mary, in Graz since 2005.
He is married, has 4 children who were born in 1997, 1999, 2008, and 2010.
Between 1979-1987, he studied at the illustrious school in Vienna.
Between 1987-1995, he studied at the mechanical engineering department of Vienna Technical University.
Between 2001-2002, he studied at Danube University Krems.
Since 2004, Georg has been working in the department of motor development and power plant development as program manager and has overseen communication with clients from Japan.
Georg speaks German, French, and English fluently. He also speaks basic Russian.
Georg is Austrian, with Russian roots coming from so-called “White Immigration”. His mother’s parents were born in Russia.
On June 18, 2016 he was unanimously chosen as a churchwarden of the Common Vestry of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Mother of God, Virgin Mary, in Graz.
Deputy Churchwarden
Olga Koraeva
Terrar
Christof (Nicholas) Pirker
Christof was born on July 2, 1974 in Klagenfurt, Austria.
He is married and has one child.
He has been a member of the Common Vestry of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Mother of God, Virgin Mary, in Graz since 2015.
Between 1980-1988, he studied at primary and secondary school. Between 1988-1992, he studied landscape design at Langlois Gardening School.
Between 1994-2005, he worked in landscape design. Between 2008-2011, he studied in the special educational needs department in Klagenfurt teacher training college.
Since 2012, he has been working in special educational needs.
Despite the fact that Christof only recently became a member of the Common Vestry of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Mother of God, Virgin Mary, in Graz, he managed to build loyalty and trust of church members. On June 18, 2016 he was unanimously chosen as a terrar.
Deputies of Terrar
Ella Niederl
Aleksandra Platzer
Reader
Aleksander Smetanin
Choirmaster
Irina Khun
Assistance for Altar
Sergey Yasinskiy
Julian Donitsa
Dmitriy Elteko
Ivan Niderl
Ilya Khun
Alexander Khun
Sacristan
Martin Udier
Transportation
Dmitriy Elteko
Donations and Support for the Common Vestry
Andrei Sidenko
Yana Sidenko
Hospital Involvement
Angelina Mirchiuk
Julian Donitsa
Parish Council
George Kuehnelt-Leddihn
Christof Pirker
Yana Sidenko
Andrei Sidenko
Martin Udier
Auditing Committee
Andrei Skorobogatko
Irina Khun
Constantine Leipus
Guilherme Lobo de Castro
Those who wish to join the Russian Orthodox Church in Graz must fill out an application.
For any inquiries please contact the deputy churchwarden, Olga Koraeva, by calling +43 699 150 56 14 6 or via her email koraeva.olga@gmail.com.
We have a small church shop. Here you can buy icons, silver crosses, votive candles to pray at home, consecrated oil, christening sets, hanging icon lampions, and books, such as prayer books. We also take orders. The shop is open before and after the Divine Liturgy.