Nikolaј was a bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an influential theological writer . He strongly supported the unity of all Orthodox churches and established particularly good relations with the Anglican and Episcopal Church.

As stated by the Archbishop John of Shanghai and San Francisco and the Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann, Nikolai Velimirović is one "of the great theological writers," and "for all the people of Orthodox religion he is an epitome for the Orthodox spiritual quality." Bishop Nikolaj is also a saint of the Orthodox Church, and considered by Orthodox Christians in America to be a North American saint because of his role in establishing Orthodox Christianity there.