Background
He was born in Troisvierges in 1813, the only child of the farmer Jean Adames and Marie Magdalena Wangen. His mother became remarried to a widower, Nikolaus Köcher from Basbellain, with whom she had more children.
He was born in Troisvierges in 1813, the only child of the farmer Jean Adames and Marie Magdalena Wangen. His mother became remarried to a widower, Nikolaus Köcher from Basbellain, with whom she had more children.
Under his village priest, he studied to join the Petit Séminaire in Bastogne, but went instead to the seminary in Namur, and was ordained a priest on 25 August 1839.
Nicolas Adames" father died in 1818 before he was 5 years old. In his village, Nicolas started teaching at the age of 12. He learned French in Belgium, and worked for an accountant for one year.
In 1841 he became a chaplain in Echternach before Bishop Jean-Théodore Laurent, the Apostolic Vicar in Luxembourg from 1840, made Adames priest of the Notre-Dame Church of the fortress city of Luxembourg.
In 1845 he became the bishop"s secretary. When Jean-Théodore Laurent had to leave the country under pressure from anti-clericalists, Nicolas Adames provisionally administered the Apostolic Vicariate.
On 27 March 1863 he was appointed titular bishop of Halicarnassos by Pope Pius IX, and made Apostolic Vicar of Luxembourg. His consecration was on 29 June 1863 under a picture of the Virgin Mary in the Church of Notre-Dame.
In December 1869 he participated, as one of 744, in the First Vatican Council in Rome.
On 27 June 1870, the Apostolic Vicariate of Luxembourg was elevated to a diocese, and Nicolas Adames became the first Bishop of Luxembourg. His enthronement was on 25 December. The Church of Notre-Dame became the episcopal see, and thus, a cathedral.
He died on 13 February 1887.
Foreign political reasons he was buried on 17 February in the Glacis chapel, which had been built at his instigation.