In his lifetime, Saint Nikolai Velimirovich visited the USA four times. He visited Britain in 1910. He studied English and was capable of addressing an audience and making a strong impression on listeners. Shortly after the outbreak of World War I this contributed to his appointment by the Serbian government to a mission in the United States. In 1915, as an unknown Serbian hieromonk, he toured most of the major U.S. cities, where he held numerous lectures, fighting for the union of the Serbs and South Slavic peoples. This mission gained ground: America sent over 20,000 volunteers to Europe, most of whom later fought on the Salonika Front.