The old Visitation monastery passed into the hands of the American College thanks to the express will of Pope Pius IX, who used to serve Mass there for the Visitation sisters as a young boy. While other Colleges had been vying for its convenient location and spacious property, Pope Pius ensured that it would be given to the American College, whose founding had been a project of his own initiative. He even personally contributed the money to purchase the property. The new College was opened ceremonially on December 8, 1859, and the new foundation received a formal visit from the pope on January 29, 1860.