Is Julia Lemigova religious? 'RHOM' star opens up about why she separated from religion twenty-three years ago
MIAMI, FLORIDA: This season on 'The Real Housewives of Miami', the women traveled together to visit Mexico City. The trip resurrected old scars for Julia Lemigova, who described why attending a church with her cast mates was tough following her little son’s demise. Julia found the latest cast trip to be anything but enjoyable. As her 'RHOM' co-stars wanted to attend a church in Mexico City, Julia spoke out in a confessional of a preview clip from the January 31 episode, about why the trip was difficult for her.
Her relationship with religion was profoundly influenced by her son's untimely death at a young age. As they prepared to see The Lady of Guadalupe, Julia acknowledged that she had her own problems with the day. "I know all the ladies are excited, but I don't go to church," the 51-year-old said in a confessional. She goes on to say, "I separated myself from religion twenty-three years ago when I lost my son."
How did 'RHOM's Julia Lemigova lose her son?
The preview then transitions to a memory of Julia recounting her devastating loss. "I lost my son on my watch," the former Miss USSR confesses emotionally in a video dated two years ago. Julia went on to say, "I was looking for a nanny, and I got a phone call from a qualified nurse, and she sounded wonderful on paper." "Eight days later, Maximilian went into a coma because of shaken baby syndrome," the housewife remembered.
Her son was just five months old at the time. Julia gave birth to Maximilian in 1997 while in a relationship with French financier Edouard Stern. In her confessional from the present, Julia stated, "I went to church, but I still did not get any answers." "In my case, it gave me more grief and pain," she said. "I just cannot that easily walk into a church."
Is 'RHOM's Julia Lemigova adopting a child?
Julia mentioned during the Season 5 reunion special that her adoption intentions had been put on hold due to Martina Navratilova's health difficulties. In late 2022, the retired tennis player revealed that she had been diagnosed with Stage 1 throat and early-stage breast cancer, more than a decade after her initial cancer struggle. "When you’re adopting a child, it has to be about the child," Julia explained to reunion host Andy Cohen.
"And, right now, it’s everything about Martina, and for her [to be] getting healthy...So, we’re putting [adoption] on hold. You know, we were thinking [that at] any moment, the agency would call and give us happy news that we’re going to have a baby… Instead, we are fighting two cancers. Like one was not enough." Martina said in March that she was officially cancer-free, but that her and Julia's adoption adventure would likely not restart.
"We hired an agency. [Our daughter] Victoria went to live in Europe for the last two years of high school, and the emptiness really hit [Julia]. I’m like, 'Go, go.' Julia’s like, 'No, come back,'" Martina stated during an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored.
"I think [adoption] was a nice thought for a while, but I think [the cancer diagnosis] has brought it into sharp focus. You know, I’m not really the youngest anymore, and I don’t want to be the grandmother on the playground. Forget that part; there’s just not enough space, I think, for this to happen… I think it’s just too complicated, and the energy—I only have so much right now."
'RHOM's Julia Lemigova isn't 'closing the door' on adoption
Despite the fact that Martina appears to have abandoned her adoption intentions, Julia remains enthusiastic about adding to her family. "I hope that we will soon expand our family," she told Page Six. "Our adoption plans were on hold, but we're still not closing the door on those plans."
'The Real Housewives of Miami' Season 6 airs on Bravo every Wednesday at 9 PM ET