MARTYRDOM

AT
BAGUMBAYAN
Reporter: Mary Joy Ganancial BEED 1-B
 After the court-martial. Rizal return to his cell in fort
santiago to prepare his rendezvous with destiny. During his
last 24 hours on earth from 6:00 AM.December 29 to 6:00
AM..December 30, 1896 he was busy meeting visitors,
including Jesuit priest, Josephine Bracken and members of
his family, a spanish news paper correspondent (Santiago
Mataix), some friends, and secretly finishing his farewell
poem. As a christian and a hero-martyr, he was serenely
resigned to die for his beloved country, which he called
"Pearl of the Orient Sea" in his last poem and "Pearl of the
Orient" in an article entitled "Unfortunate Philppines"
Published in the Hongkong Telegraph on September 24,
1892.
 Last Hours of Rizal.at 6:00 AM..December 29, 1896,
Captain Rafael Dominguez who was designated by
Governor General Camilo Polavieja to take the charge of
all arrangements for the execution of the condemmed
prisoner, read the death sentence to Rizal- to be shot at
the back by a firing squad at 7:00AM. in Bagumbayan
(Luneta). At 7:00A.M, an hour after the reading of the
death sentence. Rizal was moved to the prison chapel.
Where he spent his last moments. His father visitors were
Father Miguel Saderra Mata(Rector of Ateneo Municipal),
and Father Luis Viza, Jesuit teacher.
 At 7:15 AM. Rector Jaderra left.Rizal, in a jovial mood,
reminded Fr.Viza of the Statuette a Sacred Heart of Jesus
which he had carved with his pen knife as an Ateneo
student. Fr.Viza anticipating such reminiscence, got the
statuette from his pocket and gave itvto Rizal. The Hero
happily received at and placed it on his writing table. At
8:00 AM. Fr Anthonio Rosell arrive to relieved Father Viza.
Rizal invited him to join him at breakfast which he did.
After breakfast, Lt.Luis Traviel de Andrade (Rizal's defense
counsel)came and Rizal thanked him for his gallant
service.At 9:AM.Fr. Federico Faura arrived. Rizal reminded
him that he said that (Rizal would someday lose his head
for writing the noli"Father" Rizal remarked, "You are indeed
a prophet".
 At 10:00AM.Father Jose Vilaclara (Rizal's teacher at
Ateneo) and Vicente Balaguer.(Jesuit missionary in
Dapitan who had befriended Rizal during the latters exile)
visited the hero. After them came the spanish journalist,
Santiago Mataix. Who interview Rizal for his news paper El
Heraldo de Madrid. From 12:00 AM.(noon) to 3:30PM.
Rizal was left alone in his cell. He took his lunch, after
which he was busy writing. It was probably during this
time when he finished his farewell poem and hid it inside
his alcohol cooking stove( not lamp as some biographers
erroneously assert)which was given to him as a gift by Paz
Pardo de Travera(write of Juan Luna)during his visit to
Paris in 1890. At the same time he wrote his last letter to
professore Blumentritt; (his bestfriend) in German, as
follows:
Prof. Ferdinand Blumentritt
My dear Brother :

When you receive this letter, I shall be dead.

Tomorrow at seven. I shalm be shot: but I am innocent of
the crime of rebellion. I am going to die wuth a traquil
conscience. Goodbye, my bestfriend, my dearest friend,
and never think ill of me, Fort Santiago, December 29,
1896.

(Signed) Jose Rizal

 Regards to the entire Family, to Sra.Rosa.Loleng
Contradeto and Fredirico. I am leaving a book for you as a
last remembrance of mine. At 3:30 PM Fathrr Balaguer.
returned to fort santiago and discussed with rizal about
his retraction of the anti-Catholic ideas in his writings and
membership in Masonry. At 4:00 PM. Rizal's mother
arrived. Rizal knelt down before her and kissed her hands
begging her to forgive him. Both mother and son were
crying as the guards separate them. Shortly afterwards
Trinidad entered the cell to fetch her mother.As they were
leaving. Rizal gave to trinidad the alcohol cooking stove.
Whispering to her in english: "There is something inside",
Trinidad understood. She knew English because Rizal
taught her this language.
 This "Something" was Rizal's Farewell poem.3 so it came
to pass that she was able to smuggle the hero's last and
greatest poem- a priceless gem of Philippines literature.
After the departure of Doña Teodora and Trinidad,
Father's Vilaclara and Estanislao March entered the cell,
followed by father Rosell. At 6:00 PM. Rizal received a
new visitor, Don Silvino Lopez Tuñon, the dean of the
manila cathedral. Father's Balaguer and March left
leaving Vilaclara with Rizal and Don Silvino. At 8:00PM.
Rizal had his last supper. He informed Captain Domiguez
who was with him that heforgave his enemies. Including
the military judges who condemmed hin to death. At
9:30 PM. Rizal was visited by Don Gaspar Cestaño the
fiscal of Manila.
 As gracious host, Rizal offered him the best chair in the
cell. After a pleasant conversation the fiscal left with a
good impression of Rizal's Intelligence and noble
character.
THANKYOU!