RIZAL’S LIFE, WORKS AND WRITINGS

Martyrdom at
Bagumbayan

© 2010
01
• After being court-martialed, Rizal returned
to his cell in Fort Santiago to prepare
his rendezvous with destiny.
• During his last 24 hours on earth – from 6:00
A.M. of Dec. 29 to 6:00 A.M. of Dec. 30, 1896
– he was busy meeting visitors which includes
his family and friends.
• He was also able to write his last poem –
his final contribution for the emancipation of
the Filipino people.

INTRODUCTION Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 02

 December 29, 1896
• 6:00 A.M. – Captain Rafael Rodriguez read
Rizal’s death sentence – he will be shot at the
back by firing squad at 7:00 A.M. in
Bagumbayan.
• 7:00 A.M. – Rizal was moved to the prison
chapel where he spent his last moments.
His first visitors were Jesuit priests.
• 7:15 A.M. – Rizal reminded Fr. Luis Viza
the statuette of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
whom he carved as a student in Ateneo.

Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 3

 December 29, 1896
• 8:00 A.M. – Rizal had a breakfast with Fr.
Antonio Rosell. After breakfast, his attorney,
Lt. Luis Taviel de Andrade came.
• 9:00 A.M. – Fr. Frederico Faura arrived. Rizal
reminded the priest of his earlier ‘prophecy’
about Rizal.
• 10:00 A.M. – More Jesuit priests had vis-
ited him. After then, he was inter-
viewed by Santiago Mataix for the newspa-
per El Heraldo de Madrid.
Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 4
 December 29, 1896
• 12:00 – 3:30 P.M. – Rizal was left alone in his
cell. He took his lunch and continued writ-
ing his farewell poem which he hid in an
alcohol cooking stove. He also wrote his
last letter to Professor Blumentritt.
• 3:30 P.M. – Father Vicente Balaguer returned
to his cell and discussed with Rizal his
retraction letter.

Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 5

 December 29, 1896
• 4:00 P.M. – Teodora Alonzo visited him. They
had a very emotional encounter. Rizal gave
the alcohol cooking stove to Trinidad which
contains his farewell poem. Several priests
have visited him afterwards.
• 6:00 P.M. – Don Silvino Lopez, dean of the
Manila Cathedral visited him.
• 8:00 P.M. – Rizal had his last supper. He told
Captain Dominguez that he forgave
his enemies including the military judges.
Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 6
Mi Ultimo Adios Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 7
 December 29, 1896
• 9:30 P.M. – Rizal was visited by Don Gas-
par Cestano, fiscal of the Royal Audience
de Manila.
• 10:00 P.M. – The draft of the retraction let-
ter sent by the anti-Filipino Arch-
bishop Bernardino Nozaleda was given
by Fr. Balaguer to Rizal for his signature.
He had rejected it.

Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 8

• Upon Rizal’s death, his supposedly ‘retrac-
letter’ tion
becameof one of the most controver-
sial documents in our history.
• This ‘retraction letter’ allegedly contains his
renunciation of the Masonry and his ‘anti-Catholic
religious ideas.’
• Depending onwhose side you are on,
Rizalists claims
somethat it is fake while some believe it
to be genuine.
•There had been some evidences but so far these
had only heated up the debate between the
two factions.
Retraction Letter Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 9
 December 30, 1896
• 3:00 A.M. – Rizal heard Mass, confessed
his sins and took Holy Communion.
• 5:30 A.M. – He took his last breakfast. Af-
ter which he wrote his last letters for his
family and his brother, Paciano.

Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 11

 “
I am aboutto
Now die,
andit is to youI dedicate
my last lines, to tell you how
sad I am to leave you alone
in life, burdened with
the weight of the
family and our old parents. ”
Letter to Paciano Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 11
 December 30, 1896
• 5:30 A.M. – Bracken arrived
together
Josephinewith Rizal’s sister, Josefa, with
tears in her eyes, bade him farewell.
Rizal embraced her for the last time, and be-
fore she left, Rizal gave her a last gift – a
religious book, Imitation of Christ by Father
Thomas Kempis.

Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 12

 December 30, 1896

• 6:00 A.M. – As the soldiers were

getting ready for the death march
to Bagumbayan, Rizal wrote his
last letter to his beloved parents.

Last Hours of Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 13

“me for the pain with which
My beloved Father, par-
repayyou, for sorrows
I

don
and sacrifices for my ed-
ucation. I did not want it nor
did I prefer it.
Goodbye Father, goodbye.
”
Letter to his Father Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 14
 “ Sra.Dona Teodora Alonso
To my very dear
6 o’oclock in the morn-
Mother,
December 30, 1896.
ing,
”
Letter to his Mother Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 15
• At about 6:30 A.M., a trumpet sounded at Fort
Santiago, a signal to begin the death march to
Bagumbayan.
• Rizal walked calmly with his defense coun-
sel and two Jesuit priests at his sides.
• He was dressed elegantly in a black
suit, black derby hat, black shoes, white
shirt and black tie. His arms were tied
behind from elbow to elbow.
• There a lot of spectators lining the street from
Fort Santiago to Bagumbayan.
Death March to Bagumbayan Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 16
• As he was going through the narrow
Postigo Gate, Rizal looked at the sky and said
to one of the priests: “How beautiful it is
today, Father. What morning could be more
serene! How clear is Corregidor and the
mountains of Cavite! On mornings like this, I
used to take a walk with my sweetheart.”
• While he was passing in front of the Ate-
neo, he saw the college towers above the
walls. He asked: “Is that the Ateneo, Fa-
ther?” “Yes”, replied the priest.

Death March to Bagumbayan Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 17

Death March to Bagumbayan Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 18
• Rizal bade farewell to Fathers March
and Vilaclara and to his defender, Lt. Luis
Taviel de Andrade. Although his arms were
tied, he had firmly clasped their hands in part-
ing.
• One of the priests blessed him and offered
• him
He a crucifix to kiss.commander of the firing
requested
squad
the that he be shot facing them. His
request was denied for the captain had implicit
orders to shoot him at his back.

Martyrdom of a Hero Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 19

•A Spanish military physician, Dr. Felipe
Ruiz asked his permission to feel his
Castillo,
pulse. He was amazed to find it normal, show-
ing that Jose Rizal was not afraid to die.
• The death ruffles of the drums filled the
Aboveair.
the drum beats, the sharp command “Fire”
was heard, and the guns of the firing
squad barked. Rizal, with supreme effort,
turned his bullet-riddled body to the right, and
fell on the ground dead – with face upward
facing the morning sun. It was exactly 7:03 in
the morning – aged 35 years, 5 months and 11
days.
Martyrdom of a Hero Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 20
Martyrdom of a Hero Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 21
“ break, throughthe gloom of
Inight,
die to
just when I see the
herald the day; And if
color is lacking my blood thou
dawn
shalt take, pour’d out at
need for thy sake, to dye
with its crimson the waking
ray.
”
Martyrdom of a Hero Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 22
• It is interesting to know that 14 years be-
fore his execution, Rizal predicted that he
would die on December 30th. He was then a
medical student in Madrid, Spain.

Martyrdom of a Hero Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 23

“ There can be no
tyrants where
there are no
slaves.
Taken from ‘El Filibuster-
Jose Rizal Martyrdom at Bagumbayan 26