On Wednesday the 4th of October Nicholai (Kolia) Soin (1930-2017) peacefully reposed in the Lord after brief, unexpected illness. Known by his nickname “The Invisible Angel,” he was a tireless, unseen laborer at the diocesan cathedral in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco, CA. He was always working at the cathedral when no one was around, sometimes until late at night. As an artist he assisted iconographer Vladimir Krassovsky with many of the decorations in the cathedral. Nicholai Soin decorated the entire inside of the iconostasis and the back face of the Crucifix behind the panykhida table. In 1987 the walls of the cathedral needed cleaning. Kolia spent eight months on the scaffold washing them. As Mr. Krassovsky restored and did new toweling on the lower walls of the cathedral, it was Kolia who restored the ornamentation. When the walls needed patching and painting, it was Kolia that was called upon.
Those who knew him say that the servant of God, Nicholai Soin, was humble, quiet, soft-spoken and kind. For many he was a dear personal friend, whose good deeds are impossible to enumerate.
As his earthly life was approaching its end, one of Kolia’s children asked him on his death bed if he was feeling any pain; to which he tranquilly answered “no.” After so many tireless labors we hope and believe that newly-departed Nicholai received a blessed ending to his life, “painless, blameless and a good defense before the dread Judgment-Seat of Christ."
Grant rest, O Lord, to Thy newly-departed servant Nicholai, the “invisible Angel” of Holy Virgin Cathedral.
Funeral Schedule at Holy Virgin Cathedral:
Monday October 9th -- Panykhida at 7:30 pm
Tuesday October 10th -- Funeral at 10:00 am, burial on the Serbian Cemetery
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