Rizalistas

Hundreds of thousands of people were captivated by the multifaceted genius of Dr.

Jose P. Rizal, not just in the Philippines but also in Europe, Asia, and America. As
his Austrian friend Ferdinand Blumentritt later described him, "His coming to the
world is like the appearance of a rare comet, whose exceptional brilliance emerges
only every other century." Rizal's genius is sui generis, one of a kind.

During the birthday of Rizal on June 19, ethnic groups from all over the country
gather in Calamba to celebrate the national hero’s birth anniversary. They are called
the “Rizalistas.”

Rizalista
• Rizalistas are Folk Catholicism.
• They worship Rizal for his apparent parallelism with Jesus Christ.

His life is often compared to the life of Jesus Christ. During the time of Jesus, he
lived in a society that encouraged prejudice, oppression, and inequality. A weird
coincidence since those were the problems that Rizal battled with in the Philippines
under Spanish Colonial control. Jesus conveyed his message through parables,
which troubled the Sanhedrims' moral conscience. Rizal spoke through his novels
that bewildered the Spanish authorities. Both were victims of the same injustices
they spoke against.

Both Rizal and Jesus Christ are:

• Morally upright and exemplary in their own rights
• Originated from countries which were under foreign rule during their time
• Advocates of solidarity, equality and peaceful coexistence in spite of differences in
social status, ethnicity and creed
• Healers
• Great visionaries
• Advocates of reform and peaceful means to carry out their missions
• Denounced prejudice, apathy, immorality and cruelty
• Victims of trial by mockery
• Executed by their enemies
• Died for a noble cause
• Their teachings have enduring influence to many people around the world

Rizalistas are members of several religious groups that consider Jose Rizal to be
divine. Many of these religious movements believe that Rizal is still alive and will free
his followers from oppression and poverty. However, their beliefs vary according to
the sect to which they belong. Some consider Rizal a god, the son of Bathala.
Some people consider him to be both god and man at the same time, while others
revere him as a reincarnation of Christ, a spirit, an avatar, a saint, or a prophet.
Charisma of Rizal
• Strong adherence to reform and assimilation
• The sponsorship of Rizal as the national hero
• A many-faceted and multi-talented genius, his God given talents
• His martyrdom
Leading Virtues: Love of Country, Love of God, Courage, Purity and Will-power,
Idealism, Honesty, Noble Conduct, Love of Fellowmen, Love of Parents, Charity,
Devotion to Truth, Courtesy and Self-Sacrifice, Politeness, Fortitude, Thrift, Serenity
Gratitude, Self-Control, Love for Justice, Initiative, Living by Example, Tolerance,
Prudence, and Obedience

Why do we need to know Rizal's Moral Legacies? The enduring greatness of Rizal
lies in the richness of his ideas and the nobility of his examples. The validity of his
progressive thoughts and soul-searching teachings is his legacy to humanity.

Rizal's prophetic insights and matchless visions on how the Filipinos can travel the
road to progress so that they can enjoy the fullness of nationhood ---- economically,
politically, educationally, socially and culturally under the mantle of national solidarity
--- are inspiring.

The Rizalist religious movement ranged from colorums (unregistered) which were
prevalent during the 1920s up to the 1930s. Registered Rizalista groups include the
Espiritual Filipino Catholic Church, Samahan ng Tatlong Persona Solo Dios, Iglesia
Sagrada Fiipina, Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi, Adamista,
Bathalismo, and others. These religious sects have chapters in different parts of the
country and abroad, a number have headquarters in Calamba and in Quezon
Province at the foot of Mount Banahaw.

The Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi is considered the original Rizalist group. The sect was
established on December 25, 1936. Rev. Fr. Luis Fabrigar and Jose Valincunoza
were the sect's first Supreme Bishop and president respectively. The sect's
headquarters is located in Calamba and has established 100 chapters throughout
the country. In the 1980s.

The Iglesia ng Watawat ng Lahi profess that Rizal is the incarnation of the Holy
Spirit. They say that Rizal survived his execution in Bagumbayan. They claim that
when Rizal's body was exhumed in Paco Park, Rizal's body was nowhere to be
found and that a tree trunk and a pair of shoes were found at the site. They believe
that Rizal is alive and is living in Mount Makiling.

Relevance of Rizalista
• Adhere the teachings and philosophies of Rizal.
• The answer to the country’s social ills.
• officials to become good and noble leaders.
 References:

Miranda, G. R. (2016, January 4). Culture: Rizalistas. calamba. Retrieved November

25, 2022, from
https://tagacalamba.wixsite.com/calamba/single-post/2016/01/04/culture-
rizalistas

Boyer, A. (July 15, 2014). Rizalista. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from
https://www.slideserve.com/arwen/r-izalista

Wilcox, K. (April 08 2013). Rizalistas. Retrieved November 25, 2022, from

https://prezi.com/jzvv0hohf_pv/rizalistas/