REMEMBERING

THE LIFE OF
RIZAL
Presented by Group 3
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1 2 3
evaluate Rizal’s discuss the history compare and

heroism and of selected Rizalista contrast the different

importance in the groups; views on Rizal

context of Rizalista among the Rizalista.

groups;
• December 30, 1896- Rizal’s execution became an important turning point in the
history of Philippines revolution for it activated full-scale revolution that
resulted in the declaration of the Philippine independence by 1898.
• Philippine Commission of 1901(Taft Commission)- declared Jose Rizal as
National hero for under American colonial government, he is considered as one
of the most important Filipino heroes of the revolution.
• December 30 -declared as a national holiday to commemorate Rizal death and
heroism and a monument built in every town.
• Knights of Rizal (Caballeros de Rizal) -organized by me-most of whom were
professionals in some provinces.
Rizal as the Tagalog Christ
• In late 1898 and early 1899, revolutionary newspapers La Independecia and
El Heraldo de laRevolution reported about Filipinos commemorating Rizal’s
death in various town in the country.
• In Batangas, people were said to have gathered “tearfully wailing before a
portrait of Rizal (Illeto, 1998).
• Peasants in Laguna were also reported to have regarded him as “the lord of a
kind of paradise in the Heart of Mount Makiling” (Ileto 1998).
 Rizal as the Tagalog Christ

• The early decades of 1900s then witnessed the founding of

different religious organizations honoring Rizal as the
“Filipino Jesus Christ” (Ocampo,2011).

• In 1907, Spanish writer and philosopher Miguel de

Unamuno gave Rizal the title “Tagalog Christ” as
religious organizations venerating him had been formedin
different parts of the Philippines (Iya, 2012).
 Rizal was not the first to be called as
Tagalog Christ
• Apolinario de la Cruz (1815-1841) -who founded the
religious confraternity Confradia de San Jose was also
considered as the “Tagalog Christ”.
• Felipe Salvador (1870-1912)- also known as Apo Ipe
who founded the messianic society Anta Iglesia (Holy
Church) was called by his followers as Filipino Christ
ang the King of the Philippines.
 Rizal as the Tagalog Christ

These socio-religious movements known as the millenarian

groups which aim to transform the society are often
symbolized or represented by hero or prophet. The same
can also be said with Rizalista groups which have risen in
some parts of the country each group has its own teachings,
practice and celebrations but one common belief among
them is the veneration of Jose Rizal as the reincarnation of
Jesus Christ.
 Rizal as the Tagalog Christ

These group likened the travails of Jose Rizal to that of Jesus

Christ as narrated in the Pasyon, epic poem which became
popular among the Tagalogs during the Spanish period
(Ileto,1998). Rizalistas believe that Rizal just like Jesus Christ
would eventually return to life and will save mankind.
The earliest record about Rizal being declared as a
saint is that of his canonization intended by the
Philippine Independent church or (PIC) or la Iglesia
Filipina Independiente. Founded on August 3, 1902,
the PIC became a major religious sect with a number
of followers supporting its anti-friar and anti-
imperialist campaigns.
• In 1903 the PICs official organ published the
"Acta de Canalization de los Grandes Martines de
la Patricia Dr Jose Rizal y PP. Burgos, Gomez y
Zamora.
• According to the proceedings, the council of
bishop headed by Gregorio Aglipay met in manila
on September 25,1903 . And on this day, Jose
Rizal the three priests where canonized following
the roman catholic rights.
Then after Rizal's canonization, Aglipayan order
that known passes for the dead shall be offered
to Rizal in the three priest.
Their birth and death anniversaries will instead
be celebrated in honor of their newly declared
sainthood. Their statues were revered at the
altars; their names were given at baptism; and in
the case of Rizal, novenas were composed on his
honor.
One of PIV’s founders, Isabelo de los Reyes,
said that Rizal’s canonization was an expression
of the “intensely nationalistic phase” of the sect
(Foronda, 2001).Today, Rizal’s pictures or
statues can no longer be seen in the altars of PIC.
His birthday and death anniversary are no longer
celebrated. However, it did not deter the
establishment of other Rizalista organizations.
In the 1950's Paulina Carolina Malay road
reservation of Rizal being revered as a
saint:
• Many towns of Leyte have religious sects called
Banal which venerated Rizal as a God.
• Legazpi City has a strange society called
pantay-pantay poster members are called
Rizalino.
• A "colorum" sect in tabayas Quezon has build a
chapel for rizal at the foot of bundok San
Cristobal, better known as Mt. Banahaw.
• The Rizalina in Barrio Caluluan, Concepcion,
Tarlac has even sort of nunnery for its
priestesses.
Groups Venerating Jose Rizal
• In 1901, a woman in her thirties, Candida Balantac of Ilocos Norte, was said to have
started preaching in Bangar, La Union. Balantac now knwon as the founder of
Adarnista or the Iglesiang Pilipina, won the hearts of her followers from La Union,
Pangasinan, and Tarlac. This preaching eventually led her to establish the
organization in Bongabon, Nueva Eciija where she resided until the 1960s (Ocampo,
2011).

• Balantac’s followers believe that she was an engkantada (enchanted one) and
claimed that a rainbow is formed (like that of Ibong Adana) around Balantac while
she preached, giving her the title “Inang Adarna” and the organization’s name,
Adarnista. Others call Balantac Maestra (teacher) and Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit).
The members of the Adarnista believe in the following (Foronda, 2001):
• Rizal is a god of the Filipino people.
• Rizal is true god and a true man.
• Rizal was not executed as has been mentioned by historians.
• Man is endowed with a soul; as such, man is capable of good deeds.
• Heaven and hell exist but are, nevertheless, “within us”.
• The abode of the members of the sect in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija is the
New Jerusalem or Paradise.
• The caves in Bongabon are the dwelling place of Jehovah or God,
• There are four persons in God: God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost,
and the Mother (Virgin Mary).
Like the Catholic Church, the Adarnista also conducts sacraments such as
baptism, confirmation, marriage, confession, and rites of the dead. Masses are
held every Wednesday and Sunday, at 7:00 in the morning, and lasts up to two
hours. Special religious ceremonies are conducted on Rizal’s birthday and his
death anniversary which start with the raising of the Filipino flag. In a typical
Adarnista chapel, one can see images of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and in the center is
the picture of Rizal. Beside the latter are pictures of other Philippine heroes
like Luna, Burgos, del Pilar, mabini, Bonifacio, etc. (Foronda, 2001).
Sambahang Rizal
Literally the “Rizal Church”, the Sambahang Rizal
was founded by the late Basilio Aromin, a lawyer in
Cuyapo, Nueva Ecjija, in 1918. Aromin was able to
attract followers with his claim that Samahang Rizal
was established to honor Rizal who was sent by
Bathala to redeem the Filipino race, like Jesus Christ
who offered His luife to save mankind (Foronda,
2001). Bathala is the term used by early Filipino to
refer to “God” or “Creator”. Aromin’s group believes
that Rizal is the “Son of Bathala” in the same way
that Jesus Christ is the “Son of God”. Noli Me
Tangere and El Filibusterismo serve as their “bible”
that shows the doctrines and teaching of Rizal. Their
churches have altars
displaying the Philippine flag and statue of Rizal.
Similar to the Catholic Church, the Sambahang Rizal conducts sacraments like baptism,
confirmation, marriage and ceremonies for the dead. It assigns preachers, called lalawigan
guru, who are expected to preach Rizal’s teaching in different provinces. Aromin, the founder,
held the title Pangulu guru (chief preacher). At the height of its popularity, the organization ha
about 7,000 followers found in Nueva Eciija and Pangasinan (Foronda, 2001).
Iglesia Watawat ng Lahi
• The Iglesia ng Watawat ng Lahi is the considered as the original
Rizalist group. The sect was established on December 25, 1936.
Rev. Fr. Luis Fabrigar and Jose Valincunoza was the sect's first
Supreme Bishop and president respectively. As stated by another
source the sect was founded by Arsenio de Guzman but
followers of another early leader, Gaudioso Parabuac contested
that claim.

• According to stories sometime in 1936 a banal na tinig or (holy

voice) instructed Mateo Alcoran and Alfredo Benedicto to go to
Lecheria, Calamba in the province of Laguna to look for Jovito
Salgado and Gaudioso Parabuac.
• Every Saturday afternoon from then on the four listen to the
teaching of the banal tinig in 1938 the banal ng tinig inform them
that their guide was the spirit of Jose Rizal which instructed them
to organize a movement called the Samahan ng watawat ng Lahi
(Association of the Banner of the Race).
The aims of the organization are as follows (Foronda,
2001):
1. To love God above all things
2. To love one's fellowman as one loves himself
3. To love the motherland and to respect and venerate the heroes of the race
especially the martyr of
Bagumbayan, Dr. Rizal, to follow, to spread, and to support their right
teachings; and to serve the
country with one's whole heart towards its order, progress, and peace.
Foronda (2011) also enumerated the beliefs of the
sect gathered from his interviews in 1960-1961:

1. The teachings of the sect are based on the commands of the Holy Moses, Our Lord
Jesus Christ, and the teachings of Dr. Jose Rizal culled from his writings.1
2. Christians believe in the Trinity; the power of the Father was given to Moses; the
power of the Son, given to Jesus Christ; and this sect believes that the power of the
Holy Ghost was given to Dr. Jose Rizal.
3. Jesus Christ is embodied in Dr. Jose Rizal and hence, Dr. Rizal is at once a god and
a man.
4. Rizal is not dead; he is alive and is physically and materially present in the New
Jerusalem which is
presently hidden in the site extending from Mt. Makiling to Mt. Banahaw.
5. It is the voice of Rizal which commands the officials and the members what to do;
this voice is heard
in the weekly meetings. However, an invoker in the person of Gaudioso Parabuac is
needed to ask
Rizal to come and talk to members.
6. If World War ll breaks out, numberless peoples will be killed by atomic weapons.
But after the war,
Dr. Rizal will make an appearance to the new world, and he will lead the army of God.
7. Man has a soul, but a soul that is different from the soul of Dr. Rizal, for Rizal is
god. Three days
after his death and if he was holy in life (i.e., if he followed the commandments of
God), man will rise
again and his soul will proceed to the New Jerusalem. If he did not fulfill the
commandments of God,
the soul is not to be punished in bell (for there is no hell) but will be made to work in a
place opposite
the New Jerusalem.
8. There is a particular judgment (the soul is judged three days after death) and the last
judgment
(when all the creatures will be judged).
 Suprema de la Iglesia
de la Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc.
Suprema de la Iglesia de la Ciudad Mistica de Dios, Inc. (Supreme Church of
the Mystical City of God) was founded by Maria Bernarda Balitaan (MBB) in
the Tagalog region who was said to have started her spiritual missions in the
early 1920s and officially registered as an organization in 1952.
In the history of Ciudad Mistica's establishment, the group has always been
led by a woman. Its leader is called the Suprema who assumes the
responsibilities of assisting members seeking advice, resolving conflicts
among members (including legal conflicts), and making major decisions in
the organization.
The members believe that as a result of endless conflicts among countries in
West Asia, God decided
to transfer His "Kingdom" to the Philippines. It explains why there existed
"holy stations/altars" (locally called
pwesto) in Mt. Banahaw, which is equivalent to the stations of the cross of
Christ in the Pasyon (Ocampo,
2011).
For the Ciudad Mistica, Jesus Christ's work is still unfinished and it will
be continued by Dr. José Rizal and the "twelve lights" of the Philippines
composed of the nineteenth century Philippine heroes. These twelve
lights" are said to be the equivalent of Jesus Christ's twelve apostles.
Their work will be fulfilled by a woman, in the person of MBB, as can
be seen in their hymns (Quibuyen, 1991): The Virgin Maria Bernarda, a
Filipino mother Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino father Once in a mystery, they
came together And so, emerged this country, the Philippines.
Like the other Rizalista groups, the Ciudad Mistica shares many
elements with the Catholic Church.
They hold masses (every Saturday), and have prayers and
chants. They commemorate the birth and death
anniversaries of the "twelve lights," with Rizal's death
(December 30) as the most important celebration. Each
commemoration starts with the raising of the Philippine flag
THANK
YOU