1. ASSIGNMENT NO. 9 RODRIGUEZ, Luzille, A.
May 6, 2016 2nd
year BS Accountancy
RIZALS LAST HOURS
Dec. 29, 1896.
6:00 – 7:00 a.m.
Capt. Rafael Dominguez reads before Rizal
his death sentence
7:00 – 8:00 a.m.
Rizal is transferred to his death cell in Fort
Santiago
Fr. Saderra talks briefly with Rizal.
Fr. Viza presents statue of the Sacred hearth of
Jesus and medal of Mary and Rizal rejects the
letter, saying , "Im little of a Marian, Father."
Rizal 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. (The controversy over Rizal’s retraction
has not been settled)
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.
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.
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 on the hearing of 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.
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2. 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.
2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Rizal confers with Fr. March and Fr. Vilaclara
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."
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
3. 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
Writes a letter to his parents. Reads Bible and
meditates. Josephine is prohibited by the
Spanish officers from seeing Riza.
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.
The Spanish Army Surgeon General requested
to take his pulse: it was normal Dr. Felipe
Ruiz Castillo, who took Rizal’s vital signs and
pulse rate before the execution, was amazed to
find that the national hero was calm and
unafraid.
Squad of Filipino soldiers of the Spanish
Army were the executioners but a backup
force of regular Spanish Army troops stood
ready to shoot the executioners should they
fail to obey orders
Holding a rosary in his right hand, Rizal was
tied at the elbows as his group walked behind
four advance guards armed with bayonets.
7:00 – 7:03
Sounds of guns. Rizal vacillates, turns
halfway around, falls down backwards and
lies on the ground facing the sun. His last
word, said in a loud voice: "It is finished."
Silence. Shouts of vivas for Spain
sThe Burial
He was secretly buried in Pacò Cemetery in Manila
with no identification on his grave. His sister Narcisa
toured all possible gravesites and found freshly turned
earth at the cemetery with guards posted at the gate.
Assuming this could be the most likely spot, there
never having any ground burials, she made a gift to
the caretaker to mark the site "RPJ", Rizal's initials in
reverse.
Exhumation of his remains in August 1898, under
American rule, revealed he had been uncoffined, his
burial not on sanctified ground granted the 'confessed'
faithful, and whatever was in his shoes had
disintegrated. And now he is buried in Rizal
Monument in Manila.
