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They were given permission to establish their new monastery on the condition that they would finance and administer the community on their own and would dedicate themselves to the service of God with faith that He would take care of them. At first, the old building had to serve as both [[chapel]] and living quarters, but soon the nuns, with their own hands, built a separate small wooden chapel as their place of [[worship]]. They adorned it with their own [[iconography|icons]] and embroidered cloths and began to hold services, to which all those inside and outside their gates were welcome.
As the community grew, Orthodox Christians of all backgrounds came to attend the twice-daily services, and it soon became apparent that the chapel was far too small to hold the increasing number of faithful pilgrims. In 1959, a new chapel was built on the grounds—a replica of the 1812 [[Holy Trinity Chapel (Fort Ross, California)|Fort Ross chapel]]. Under the leadership of Andre Tchelistcheff, a local winemaker, money was raised for this important project.
The community continued to thrive through the 1960s and 1970s, drawing people from all backgrounds through its serenity, beautiful surroundings, and spiritual presence. In the mid-1980s, the monastery extended its outreach far beyond its borders through the work of priest-in-charge Fr. [[George M. Benigsen|George Benigsen]], who broadcast regularly on Radio Free Europe. His radio talks became known as an inspired voice of Orthodox Christianity that touched millions around the world.
