Jose Protasio Rizal

Mercado y Alonzo

RealondaFamily Life and Early Childhood Timeline

June 19, 1861The seventh child of

Francisco Engracio Rizal Mercado y Alejandro and Teodora Morales Alonzo Realonda y Quintos, was born in Calamba, Laguna.

June 22, 1861 He was baptized as JOSE RIZAL MERCADO at the Catholic church of Calamba by the parish priest Rev. Rufino Collantes with Rev. Pedro Casañas as the sponsor.

Birthplace of Jose Rizal

1865 – 1867

During this time his mother taught him how to read and write. His father hired a classmate by the name of Leon Monroy who, for five months until his (Monroy) death, taught Rizal the basics of Latin.

At about this time two of his mother’s cousin frequented Calamba. Uncle Manuel Alberto, seeing Rizal frail in body, concerned himself with the physical development of his young nephew and taught the latter love for the open air and developed in him a great admiration for the beauty of nature, while Uncle Gregorio, a scholar, instilled into the mind of the boy love for education. He advised Rizal: "Work hard and perform every task very carefully; learn to be swift as well as thorough; be independent in thinking and make visual pictures of everything."

September 28, 1862The parochial church of Calamba and the canonical books, including the book in which Rizal’s baptismal records were entered; were burned.

1864At three years old, Rizal learned the alphabet from his mother.

1865When he was four years old, his sister Conception, the eighth child in the Rizal family, died at the age of three. It was on this occasion that Rizal remembered having shed real tears for the first time.

June 6, 1868 

With his father, Rizal made a journey to Antipolo to fulfill the vow made by his mother to take the child to the Shrine of the Virgin of Antipolo should she and her child survive the ordeal of delivery which nearly caused his mother’s life.

From there they proceeded to Manila and visited his sister Saturnina who was at the time studying in the La Concordia College in Sta. Ana.

1869

At the age of eight, Rizal wrote his first poem entitled "Sa Aking Mga Kabata." The poem was written in tagalog and had for its theme "Love of One’s Language."

In Biñan, Laguna

1870His brother Paciano brought Rizal to Biñan, Laguna. He was placed under the guidance of Justiniano Aquino Cruz, studying Latin and Spanish. In this town he also learned the art of painting under the tutorship of an old painter by the name of Juancho Carrera.

December 17, 1870

Having finished his studies in Biñan, Laguna, Rizal returned to Calamba on board through the motorboat Talim. His parents planned to transfer him to Manila where he could continue his studies.

Back in Calamba

1871His mother was imprisoned in Sta. Cruz, Laguna for allegedly poisoning the wife of her cousin Jose Alberto, a rich property owner of Biñan and brother of Manuel and Gregorio.

1872

For the first time, Rizal heard of the word filibustero which his father forbid the members of his family to utter, including such names as Cavite and Burgos. (It must be remembered that because of the Cavite Mutiny on January 20, 1872, Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora were garroted at Bagumbayan Field on February 17, 1872.)

A Group of Sketches by Rizal

Wooden bust of his father, carved by

Rizal

Family Tree of Rizal

References:

• http://www.joserizal.ph/• http://www.web-books.com/

Classics

Thank YouforListening!

Prepared by:Ciaralin A. SantianezHer Juvena PalomiqueAnthony Joe G. Castro