LESSON 10

RIZAL’S LAST
WORK
 Retraction letter Mi Ultimo
Adios
01 Rizal’s Last Hour and the Retraction Controversy

02 When did Rizal know of his sentence and death

03 Where did Rizal spend his last hour

04 Controversy of the documents

05 What else did rizal do during the last hours

06 When was Rizal executed

07 What was the content of his letter to his Brother Paciano

08 What was the content of his letter to his friend Blumentritt

09 Define retraction and relate it with Rizal

10 Read and Discuss “Huling Paalam in Tagalog”

Rizal’s Last Hour and
The Retraction
Controversy
 Rizal’s Last Hour
Dec. 29, 1896.

6:00 – 7:00 a.m.

Sr. S. Mataix asks Rizal’s permission to interview him. Capt.
Dominguez reads death sentence to Rizal. Source of information: cablegram of
Mataix to EL Heraldo
De Madrid, "Notes" of Capt. Dominguez and Testimony of Lt. Gallegos.
7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
Rizal is transferred to his death cell. Fr. Saderra talks briefly with Rizal. Fr. Viza
presents statue of the Sacred hearth of Jesus and medal of Mary. Rizal rejects the
letter, saying , "Im little of a Marian, Father." Source: Fr. Viza.
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Rizal is shares his milk and coffee with Fr. Rosell. Lt. Andrade and chief of Artillery come to
visit Rizal who thanks each of them. Rizal scribbles a note inviting his family it visit him.
Sources: Fr. Rosell and letter of Invitation.

9:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Sr. Mataix, defying stringent regulation, enters death cell and interviews Rizal in the
presence of Fr. Rosell. Later, Gov. Luengo drops in to join the conversation. Sources: Letter
of Mataix ti Retana Testimony of Fr. Rosell.

10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Fr. Faura persuades Rizal to put down his rancours and order to marry josephine canonically.
a heated discussion on religion occurs between them ion the hearing of Fr. Rosell. Sources:
El Imparcial and Fr. Rosell .
11:00 – 12:00 noon.
Rizal talks on "various topics" in a long conversation with Fr. Vilaclara who will later
conclude (with Fr. Balaguer, who is not allowed to enter the death cell) that Rizal is either to
Prostestant or rationalist who speaks in "a very cold and calculated manner" with a mixture
of a "strange piety." No debate or discussion on religion is recorded to have taken place
between the Fathers mentioned and Rizal. Sources: El Imarcial and Rizal y su Obra.:

12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Rizal reads Bible and Imitation of Christ by Kempis, then meditates. Fr. Balaguer reports to
the Archbishop that only a little hope remains that Rizal is going to retract for Rizal was
heard saying that he is going to appear tranquilly before God. Sources: Rizal’s habits and
Rizal y su Obra.
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Rizal denies (probably, he is allowed to attend to his personal necessities). Source: "Notes"
of Capt. Dominguez..

2:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Rizal confers with Fr. March and Fr. Vilaclara. Sources: "Notes" of Capt. Dominguez in
conjunction with the testimonies of Fr. Pi and Fr. Balaguer.

3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Rizal reads verses which he had underlined in Eggers german Reader, a book which he is
going to hand over to his sisters to be sent to Dr. Blumentritt through F. Stahl. He "writes
several letters . . . ,with his last dedications," then he "rest for a short." Sources: F. Stahl and
F. Blumentritt, Cavana (1956) – Appendix 13, and the "Notes" of Capt. Dominguez.
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Capt. Dominguez is moved with compassion at the sight of Rizal’s kneeling before his
mother and asking pardon. Fr. Rosell hears Rizal’s farewell to his sister and his address to
those presents eulogizing the cleverness of his nephew. The other sisters come in one by
one after the other and to each Rizal’s gives promises to give a book, an alcohol burner, his
pair of shoes, an instruction, something to remember. Sources "notes" of Capt. Dominguez
and Fr. Rosell, Diaro de Manila. .

5:30 – 6:00 p.m.

The Dean of the Cathedral, admitted on account of his dignity, comes to exchange views
with Rizal. Fr. Rosell hears an order given to certain "gentlemen" and "two friars" to leave
the chapel at once. Fr. Balaguer leaves Fort Santiago. Sources: Rev. Silvino Lopez-Tuñon,
Fr. Rosell, Fr. Serapio Tamayo, and Sworn Statement of Fr. Balaguer.
6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Fr. Rosell leaves Fort Santiago and sees Josephine Bracken. Rizal calls for Josephine and
then they speak to each for the last time. Sources: Fr. Rosell, El Imparcial, and Testimony of
Josephine to R. Wildman in 1899.

7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Fr. Faura returns to console Rizal and persuades him once more to trust him and the other
professors at the Ateneo. Rizal is emotion-filled and, after remaining some moments in
silence, confesses to Fr. Faura. Sources: El Imparcial.

8:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Rizal rakes supper (and, most probably, attends to his personal needs). Then, he receives
Bro. Titllot with whom he had a very "tender" (Fr. Balaguer) or "useful" (Fr. Pi)
interview. Sources: Separate testimonies of Fr. Balaguer and Fr. Pi on the report of Bro.
Titllot; Fisal Castaño.
9:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Fiscal Castaño exchanges views with Rizal regarding their respective professors. Sources:
Fiscal Castaño.

10:00 – 11:00 p.m.

Rizal manifests strange reaction, asks guards for paper and pen. From rough drafts and
copies of his poem recovered in his shoes, the Spaniards come to know that Rizal is
writing a poem. Sources: El Imparcial and Ultimo Adios; probably, Fiscal Castaño.

11:00 – 12:00 midnight

Rizal takes time to his hide his poem inside the alcohol burner. It has to be done during
night rather than during daytime because he is watched very carefully. He then writes his
last letter to brother Paciano. Sources: Testimonies and circumstantial evidence
12:00 – 4:00 a.m.
Rizal sleeps restfully because his confidence in the goodness of God and the justness of his
cause gives him astounding serenity and unusual calmness

Dec. 30, 1986. 4:00 – 5:00 a.m.

Rizal picks up Imitation of Christ, reads, meditates and then writes in Kempis’ book a
dectation to his wife Josephine and by this very act in itself he gives to her their only
certificate of marriage.

5:00 – 6:15
Rizal washes up, takes breakfast, attends to his personal needs. Writes a letter to his
parents. Reads Bible and meditates. Josephine is prohibited by the Spanish officers
from seeing Rizal, according to Josephine’s testimony to R. Wildman in 1899.
6:15 – 7:00
Rizal walks to the place of execution between Fr. March and Fr. Vilaclara
with whom he converses. Keeps looking around as if seeking or expecting to
see someone. His last word, said in a loud voice: "It is finished"

7:00 – 7:03
Sounds of guns. Rizal vacillates, turns halfway around, falls down backwards
and lies on the ground facing the sun. Silence. Shouts of vivas for Spain.
When did Rizal know
of his sentence and
death
December 26, 1896 - the military court tried Jose Rizal;
found guilty of rebellion, sedition, and conspiracy.
Reason: according to Spanish authorities, Rizal’s
writings “fatally and necessarily” incited the
rebellion
6 a.m - Capt. Rafael Dominguez read before Rizal his
death sentence.
 Where did Rizal
spend his last hours.
Around 7 a.m.of December 26, Rizal was transferred to his death cell
in Fort Santiago.
Controversy of the
documents
The controversy over Rizal’s retraction has not been settled. The “original”
document of Rizal’s “retraction” was found in the archdiocesan archives in
1935, 39 years after having disappeared the day Rizal was shot. There was no
record of anybody seeing this “original” document in 1896, except the
publishers of La Voz Española, which published its contents on the day of
Rizal’s execution: “We have seen and read his (Rizal’s) own handwritten
retraction which he sent to our dear and venerable Archbishop….” Most experts
think that the handwriting on the document is authentic. However, scholars are
baffled as to why Rizal, who courageously faced persecution for most of his
life, and who was finally sentenced to death for his beliefs, would suddenly
balk at the last, futile moment.
What else did Rizal do
during the Last Hours?
-Read the Bible
-Read Thomas à Kempis’s Imitation of
Christ
-wrote the poem we know now as “Mi
Ultimo Adiós”
-wrote letters to Paciano Rizal, his friend
Ferdinand Blumentritt
 When was Rizal executed?
-On December 30, 1896, around 7 a.m. at Luneta, Manila,
Rizal was executed by firing squad

What was the content of his letter to his brother

Paciano
-He asked his brother to ask their father for forgiveness for
all the pain he had caused him
 What was the content of his
letter to his friend
Blumentritt
“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.”
RETRACTION
It is an act of a person to renounce his own statements thereby
reversing what has been established as fact with the said
statement.

In the case of Rizal, the Archbishop of Manila at the time of

his death said “ “During that day, although Rizal did not reject
[the Jesuits], he persisted in his errors contrary to the Catholic
faith.… However, at the last hour, Rizal abjured, in writing,
his religious errors.” In other words, Rizal, a Mason, was said
to have recanted his statements against the Church and to
have returned to the Catholic faith.”
In this case, if it was true that Rizal retracted, then
it would have been the same as saying that Rizal
did not really believe in all that he has said in any
way including his writings about the Catholic
Church in the Philippines, and that he would have
been convinced that his statements against the
church were wrong. However, the truthfulness of
the retraction was not resolve
“Huling Paalam”
 “Huling Paalam”
Ni Jose Rizal
Pinipintuho kong Bayan ay paalam, Lupang iniirog ng sikat ng araw, mutyang mahalaga
sa dagat Silangan, kaluwalhatiang sa ami'y pumanaw. Masayang sa iyo'y aking idudulot
ang lanta kong buhay na lubhang malungkot; maging maringal man at labis alindog sa
kagalingan mo ay aking ding handog.

Sa pakikidigma at pamimiyapis ang alay ng iba'y ang buhay na kipkip, walang agam-
agam, maluag sa dibdib, matamis sa puso at di ikahapis.

Saan man mautas ay dikailangan, cipres o laurel, lirio ma'y patungan pakikipaghamok,
at ang bibitayan, yaon ay gayon din kung hiling ng Bayan.

Ako'y mamamatay, ngayong namamalas na sa silinganan ay namamanaag yaong

maligayang araw na sisikat sa likod ng luksang nagtabing na ulap
 Ang kulay na pula kung kinakailangan na maitina sa iyong liway-way, dugo ko'y
isabong at siyang ikinang ng kislap ng iyong maningning na ilaw

Ang aking adhika sapul magkaisip ng kasalukuyang bata pang maliit, ay ang
tanghaling ka at minsan masilip sa dagat Silangan hiyas na marikit.

Natuyo ang luhang sa mata'y nunukal, taas na ang noo't walang kapootan, walang
bakas kunot ng kapighatian gabahid man dungis niyong kahihiyan.

Sa kabuhayang ko ang laging gunita maningas na aking ninanasa-nasa ay guminhawa

ka ang hiyas ng diwa hingang papanaw ngayong biglang-bigla
 Ikaw'y guminhawa laking kagandahang akoy malugmok, at ikaw ay matanghal,
hiniga'y malagot, mabuhay ka lamang bangkay ko'y masilong sa iyong Kalangitan.

Kung sa libingan ko'y tumubong mamalas sa malagong damo mahinhing bulaklak,

sa mga labi mo'y mangyayaring itapat, sa kaluluwa ko hatik ay igawad.

At sa aking noo nawa'y iparamdam, sa lamig ng lupa ng aking libingan, ang init ng
iyong paghingang dalisay at simoy ng iyong paggiliw na tunay.

Bayaang ang buwan sa aki'y ititig ang iwanag niyang lamlam at tahimik, liwayway
bayaang sa aki'y ihatid magalaw na sinag at hanging hagibis.
 Kung sakasakaling bumabang humantong sa krus ko'y dumapo kahit isang ibon
doon ay bayaan humuning hinahon at dalitin niya payapang panahon.

Bayaan ang ningas ng sikat ng araw ula'y pasingawin noong kainitan, magbalik sa
langit ng boong dalisay kalakip ng aking pagdaing na hiyaw.

Bayaang sino man sa katotang giliw tangisang maagang sa buhay pagkitil; kung
tungkol sa akin ay may manalangin idalangin, Bayan, yaring pagka himbing.

Idalanging lahat yaong nangamatay, mangagatiis hirap na walang kapantay; mga

ina naming walang kapalaran na inihihibik ay
Ang mga bao't pinapangulila, ang mga bilanggong nagsisipagdusa; dalanginin
namang kanilang makita ang kalayaan mong ikagiginhawa.

At kung an madilim na gabing mapanglaw ay lumaganap na doon sa libinga't

tanging mga patay ang nangaglalamay, huwag bagabagin ang katahimikan.

Ang kanyang hiwagay huwag gambalain; kaipala'y maringig doon ang taginting,
tunog ng gitara't salterio'y mag saliw, ako, Bayan yao't kita'y aawitin.

Kung ang libingan ko'y limat na ng lahat at wala ng kurus at batang mabakas,
bayaang linangin ng taong masipag, lupa'y asarolin at kauyang ikalat.
 At mga buto ko ay bago matunaw maowi sa wala at kusang maparam, alabok ng
iyong latag ay bayaang siya ang babalang doo'y makipisan.

Kung magka gayon na'y aalintanahin na ako sa limot iyong ihabilin pagka't
himpapawid at ang panganorin mga lansangan mo'y aking lilibutin. Matining na tunog
ako sa dingig mo, ilaw, mga kulay, masamyong pabango, ang ugong at awit, pag hibik
sa iyo, pag asang dalisay ng pananalig ko.

Bayang iniirog, sakit niyaring hirap, Katagalugang ko pinakaliliyag, dinggin mo ang

aking pagpapahimakas; diya'y iiwan ko sa iyo ang lahat

. Ako'y patutungo sa walang busabos, walang umiinis at berdugong hayop; pananalig

doo'y di nakasasalot, si Bathala lamang dooy
 Paalam, magulang at mga kapatid kapilas ng aking
kaluluwa't dibdib mga kaibigan bata pang maliit sa aking
tahanan di na masisilip.

Pag pasasalamat at napahinga rin paalam estranherang

kasuyo ko't aliw, paalam sa inyo, mga ginigiliw; mamatay
ay siyang pagkakagupiling
THANK
YOU