First Mass and Sto. Nino

The first documented Roman Catholic mass in the Philippines was held on Easter Sunday of 1521. It was officiated by Father Pedro de Valderrama along the shores of Limasawa, at the tip of Southern Leyte.

Esperanza Baxter (1919-2015), a Spaniard who married a Filipino, considered herself a Filipino citizen having lived in the Philippines most of her life. Señora Baxter was an accomplished artist who studied in the prestigious Escuela de Bellas Artes in Barcelona, Spain. She was also a consummate bronze plate artist and sculptor. She captured in her art the history, heritage and culture of her adoptive country, the Philippines.

On 26 April 2016, Señora Baxter’s daughter, Margarita, donated her mother’s bronze plate art collection to the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. An exhibit showcasing Señora Baxter’s impressive artworks was opened on 9 June 2016 at the Consulate’s Kalayaan Hall. The artworks now adorn the Consulate’s offices, in what is now appropriately named as the “Baxter Hall.”