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Nikolaj born in Butte, Montana on April 9, 1949 to devout Serbian Orthodox parents, Nikola and Vera Grace [nee O’Billovich] Soraich. His parents, both deceased, were active all their lives in the Orthodox community in in Butte.
On December 24, 1949, he was baptized in [[Holy Trinity Church (Butte, Montana)|Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church]], which had been consecrated by [[Tikhon of Moscow|Saint Tikhon ]] in 1905, during his tenure as Archbishop of North America. Upon graduation from high school in 1967, he enrolled in [[Christ_the_Saviour_Seminary_(Johnstown,_Pennsylvania)|Christ the Saviour Seminary, Johnstown, PAPennsylvania]].
On August 8, 1970, he was tonsured a monk of the [[Lesser Schema]] and given the monastic name [[Nicholas|Nikolai]]. The following day, he was ordained to the [[deacon]]ate. He was ordained to the [[priest]]hood on June 4, 1972 at Saint Stevan Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, Alhambra, CACalifornia.
After graduation from the seminary in 1972, Father Nikolai was sent to Billings, MT, where he organized [[St. Elijah Church (Billings, Montana)|Saint Elijah parish]]. In 1974, the parish’s new church building was consecrated. While residing in Montana, Father Nikolai worked in secular positions with the State of Montana as a juvenile parole officer from 1972 until 1976 and as assistant principal of Billings Central High School from 1976 until 1978. He also pursued graduate studies in Rehabilitation Counseling.
In 1978 and 1979, Father Nikolai pursued post graduate work in Theology at the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.