RIZAL DAY: Reliving Rizal’s Life, Death and Heroism

By Jeriale Waene Navarro, The Spark

Today we are not celebrating his date of birth. However, we are commemorating the 126th anniversary of his heroism in this country.

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda is one of the most known national heroes in the Philippines who fought for the peaceful reformation of Spain’s colonizers in the country through his political writings that inspired the Philippine Revolution. Following his execution in 1896, he became a symbol for the nationalist movement to take the first steps towards the country’s independence.

In 1898, President Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the Philippines, commemorated the first Rizal Day as a national day of mourning in honor for Rizal. On February 1, 1902, the Philippine Commision enacted the Act №345, which officially declared December 30 as Rizal Day.

Rizal’s Last Hours

On December 26, 1896, Jose Rizal was found guilty of rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy by the military court. The Spanish dominion concluded that Rizal’s writings “fatally and necessarily” aroused the insurrection which, by 1896, the revolution began. On December 29 at 6 a.m., Captain Rafael Dominguez pronounced Rizal’s death sentence in front of him. Thereafter, his execution was scheduled the following day.

At 7 in the morning of December 29, Rizal was relocated to his death cell in Fort Santiago. There he received numerous visitors, including his counsel; some Spanish officials; and several priests, his former professors, with whom he supposedly discussed reason and religion.

In his last hours, Rizal reads the Bible and Thomas à Kempis’s Imitation of Christ, which he dedicates to Josephine Bracken. He also wrote the poem “Mi Ultimo Adiós,” which he concealed in an alcohol burner. As his family entered the cell one by one, he asked forgiveness from his mother and talked to his sisters. He also wrote letters. In his final letter, which was addressed to Paciano Rizal, he asked his brother to ask their father for forgiveness of all the pain he had caused him. To his friend, Ferdinand Blumentritt, he wrote: “When you receive this letter, I shall be dead by then…. Tomorrow at seven, I shall be shot, but I am innocent of the crime of rebellion…. I am going to die with a tranquil conscience.”

His Execution

On 30th of December 1896 at 6:30 in the morning, Jose Rizal commenced his march from Fort Santiago, his prison cell, to Bagumbayan, now known as Luneta Park. He is accompanied by a bugler, a drummer and two Jesuit priests, Fr. Estanislao March and Fr. Jose Villaclara. They took the Paseo de Maria Cristina (now called Bonifacio Drive). Behind Rizal was his lawyer, Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade. A squad of soldiers surrounded them as they walked slowly. Upon reaching Bagumbayan field, Rizal placed himself in the middle of the square.

Composed of the firing squad, there were eight Filipino soldiers. Behind them were eight Spanish soldiers, ready to shoot the native soldier if they refused to shoot Rizal.

Before the shots, Rizal shouted, “Consummatum est!” (It is finished!). Another soldier gave the body a “tiro de gracia” — one last shot to make sure Rizal was dead. All Spaniards who witnessed his execution shouted “Viva Espana!”

How to observe Rizal Day?

1. Attend a wreath-laying ceremony or flag service

• The Philippine flag is raised at half-mast across the country. The ceremony is led by the president held at the Rizal Monument in Manila early in the morning.

2. Commemorate Jose Rizal’s death or celebrate his birth

• In recent years there have been numerous calls to move this holiday to Rizal’s birthday, June 19, as it will be more suitable to celebrate his birth rather than his death.

3. Take the day off from work