In 1834, Father John was transferred to Sitka Island, to the town of Novoarkhangelsk, later called Sitka. He devoted himself the Tlingit people and studied their language and customs. His studies there produced the scholarly works ''[http://www.asna.ca/alaska/research/zamechaniya.pdf Notes on the Kolushchan and Kodiak Tongues]'' and ''Other Dialects of the Russo-American Territories, with a Russian-Kolushchan Glossary''.

In 1838, Father John journeyed to St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia, and Kiev, Ukraine, to report on his activities and request an expansion of the Church's activities in Russian America. While he was there, he received notice that his wife had died. He requested permission to return to Sitka. Instead, it was suggested that he take vows as a monk. Father John at first ignored these suggestions, but, on [[November 29]], 1840, made his vows. He chose the name ''Innocent'' in honor of Bishop Innocent of Irkutsk.