R I Z AL A ND

T H E
MA S O N R Y
Presented By: Wynonna Waking, Shania Lazaro,
Jasmin Ballao,
What is Freemasonry

Freemasonry is a fraternal organization focused on

moral betterment, helping others, and uniting humanity.
Dr. Jose Rizal was a freemason who condemned the
corrupt ways of the Church and upheld individual and
national liberty.
 Rizal and Freemasonry
In 1883, Rizal joined the Masonic Lodge Acacia No 9 in Madrid
and he adopt the masonic name Dimasalang when he was
anointed under the Gran Oriente de España.

In 1856, Freemasonry was introduced to the Philippines when a

Spanish naval officer organized a lodge in Cavite under the
auspices of the Portuguese Gran Oriente Lusitano.

Filipinos were not allowed membership in the early decades of

Masonry in the country.
 Rizal and Freemasonry
November 15, 1890 -Rizal transferred to Lodge
Solidaridad, where he became Master Mason

While living in Europe, Dr. Rizal obtained affiliations with

Masonic lodges in France, England and Germany and then
visited lodges in New York.

At the time Rizal was studying in Binan and Manila,

Masonry was relatively unknown in the Philippines.
Masonic lodges were very few and most of their members
were Spaniards.
What Influenced Rizal to Join
Freemasonry?
Dr. Rizal's decision to become a freemason came as a
direct result of his well-rounded education, experience,
travel and ultimately, his belief that fraternity and
brotherhood would help him achieve his dream of the
eventual liberation of the Filipino people and country
from injustice, inequality and abuse from the religious
friars and local Spanish rule.
What Influenced Rizal to Join
Freemasonry?
His Half uncle, Alberto Alonso, was a mason and Knight
Commander of the Spanish Order of Isabel the Catholic and
Carlos III

Also, Dr. Rizal's elder brother, Paciano, has several links with
Spanish Masons in the Philippines during the latter’s student
days in Manila.

On his way to Madrid, his ship docked at Naples on June 11,

1882. He took a coach for a tour and he saw numerous posters
put up by Masons announcing the death of Giuseppe Garibaldi,
their Grand Master
 What Influenced Rizal to
Join Freemasonry?
Upon arrival in Madrid, Dr. Rizal met many intellectuals who
were masons
He was soon deeply influenced by Miguel Morayta, Professor of
History at the Universidad Central de Madrid, and Ex-President
Francisco Pl y Margall, both master masons and both staunch
advocates of Philippine independence from Spain.
These men ultimately played a significant role facilitating Dr.
Rizal's membership at the Acacia Lodge No. 9 Grand Orientes de
Espana in Madrid. Despite his many studies and activities, Dr.
Rizal soon became very active with the freemasons.
Who is the father of Freemasonry in
the Philippines
Marcelo del Pilar was instrumental in establishing
Filipino Masonry in the country and the approval by the
Grande Oriente Español of the first national
organization of Filipino Masons, the Gran Consejo
Regional de Filipinas in 1893. He is considered the
Father of True Philippine Masonry.
 Rizal and the
Church
Jose Rizal was executed on December 30, 1896. He
never retracted his beliefs therefor he gained the enmity
of the Church who placed heavy pressure for his death
sentence. It was recorded in his conversations in
Dapitan with Fr. Pastells and Fr. Sanchez that they
offered him safety and longer life if he retracts his
Masonic beliefs and returns to the catholic fold. Rizal
never did. He stood by his beliefs to the death
 Rizal and the Church
Rizal supports spirituality but not religion. He lived by
Masonic teachings and this was what got him to be the
Church's enemy no. 1. He was buried with no Christian
blessing or fanfare: he was buried secretly in unmarked grave
at paco cemetery. After two days, Narcisa located the grave
and placed a marker with the letters “R.P.J.” Rizal’s initials in
reverse
In a few years after his death, he was only given a proper
burial on December 30, 1912,
Th a n k
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