Jose Rizal's Last Moments

1880 photo of Fort Santiago

Jose Rizal's Last Moments

          It was too quiet then at a cell in Fort Santiago. Only the steps of the Guardia Civil could be heard as they reverberated off the brick walls. Jose Rizal, imprisoned for rebellion, sedition and conspiracy, was to be executed the next day. After a few minutes, more steps could be heard. Rizal's mother and his sisters made their last visit.

Rizal's cell at Fort Santiago

Sisters of Jose Rizal

          As sister Trinidad got near, Rizal whispered something. There were no CCTVs then.Trinidad was listening intently. She got the message: that there was a paper neatly tucked in the Cocinilla and she was to retrieve this once the family would gain possession of it. What it contained, nobody else knew.  Not even an inkling. 

 

Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Original cover of Noli Me Tangere

          For writing two novels, El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere, which opened the eyes of his countrymen to the colonizers' excesses and abuses, Rizal was considered as a threat to the State.  He was beginning to show signs of being an effective national leader, and for this, the Spanish authorities felt uncomfortable.  He was seen as a beacon by his compatriots, providing light after years of darkness.

Sketch of Leonor Rivera done by Jose Rizal

Josephine Bracken

           As a writer, sculptor, physician, artist, athlete, orator, Rizal valued excellence and dedication. He was consistently showing flashes of brilliance. If Rizal was good in writing, then one can surmise that he made good use of this when pursuing beautiful women like Leonor Rivera, Segunda Katigbak, O Sei San and Josephine Bracken.  There were no cellphones, facebook, twitter, etc, then. One had to get hold of a fountain pen and express his sentiments. And no one could do it better than the man from Calamba.

Rizal's execution on Dec 30, 1896 at Bagumbayan

           Execution day finally came. From his cell, on December 30, 1896, he was taken by his guards to Bagumbayan.  Men, armed with rifles, aimed and fired.  He fell face down. It was all over in a few minutes. Rizal's body was taken and dumped at a public cemetery which we now call as Paco Park. Without a coffin, a marker was placed on top of the mound with his initials reversed: RPJ. 

Rizal's original grave at Paco Park

            As agreed upon, Trinidad retrieved a piece of paper from the Cocinilla. It was a letter from Jose Rizal, obviously written a few days before his execution. It was actually a poem.  It had no title, no date and no signature.  Here is Jose Rizal's last masterpiece as translated by one Dr. Barron. This poem, together with his death by firing squad, changed the course of Philippine history.

(no title)

Land that I love, farewell.

I shall die as the east grows red,

If the dawn lacks color, I shall make it glow,

I shall paint the day with my blood.

Would that my country were free from pain!

How good to die that you might live,

To fall if you could rise,

And sleep forever under your skies!

May some flower bloom where my body lies!

Kiss it; you kiss my soul.

I shall feel the touch of your lips in my tomb,

Be warmed by your breath as by a flame.

Let the moon watch over me, pure and serene

When the dawn comes, let the wind softly complain,

If a bird lights on the cross, let it sing its song.

Let the sun shine, the rain come, a friend mourn.

Pray for me and all the fallen;

Pray for the mothers whose children go hungry,

Pray for widows, orphans, prisoners under torture,

Pray for all the living who are in pain.

When night comes and my grave in darkness lies,

Break not the peace, kneel before the mystery,

If you hear the sound of music, be not afraid.

It is I.

When my death is forgotten, my grave unmarked,

Let the plow turn the earth where I lie.

May my dust make fertile the fields!

Where the grass grows thickly, there I dwell.

In the air, over the hills and valleys of the land,

I shall linger – like a ghost, a whisper, a sigh,

A fragrance, splash of color, shaft of light.

In this faith I shall go to die.

Land that I love, whose grief is my own,

Goodbye! Father, mother, all my affections,

I go where there are no slaves, no oppressors.

I go where faith does not kill.

Farewell to all I love, peace has been waiting long.

Farewell, sweet foreigner, my true love, my delight.

All that I cherish, farewell –dear earth, dear life.

I die. I shall rest. It is well.

Free Translation by Dr. Barron

* I  came across this translation in the late 80s while reading Mabuhay, a Philippine Air Lines magazine.

*All pics from Google

-Konted