Rizal Life

The Birth of Rizal

DR. JOSE PROTACIO MERCADO RIZAL ALONZO YREALONDA
MEANINGS OF NAME
Doctor - completed his medical course in Spain and was conferred the degree of Licentiate in Medicine by the Universidad Central de Madrid
Jose- was chosen by his mother who was a devotee of the Christian saint SanJose (St. Joseph)
Protacio- from Gervacio P. which come from a Christian calendar
Mercado-adopted in 1731 by Domigo Lamco (the paternal great-great-grandfather of Jose Rizal) which the Spanish term mercado means ‘market’ in English
Rizal- from the word ‘Ricial’ in Spanish means a field where wheat, cut while stillgreen, sprouts again
Alonzo- old surname of his mother Y- and
Realonda- it was used by Doña Teodora from the surname of her godmother based on the culture by that time
June 19, 1861- moonlit of Wednesday between eleven and midnight Jose Rizal was born in the lakeshore town of Calamba, Laguna
June 22, 1861- aged three days old, Rizal was baptized in the Catholic church
Father Rufino Collantes- a Batangueño, the parish priest who baptized Rizal
Father Pedro Casanas- Rizal’s godfather, native of Calamba and close friend of the Rizal family
Lieutenant-General Jose Lemery- the governor general of the Philippines when Rizal was born
RIZAL’S PARENTS
Don Francisco Mercado (1818-1898)
-born in Biñan, Laguna on May 11, 1818-studied Latin and Philosophy at the College of San Jose in Manila-became a tenant-farmer of the Dominican-owned hacienda-a hardy and independent-minded man, who talked less and worked more, and was strong in body and valiant in spirit-died in Manila on January 5, 1898 at the age of 80-Rizal affectionately called him
“a model of fathers”
Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda (1826-1911)
-born in Manila on November 8, 1826-educated at the College of Santa Rosa, a well-known college for girls in the city-a remarkable woman, possessing refined culture, literary talent, business ability, and the fortitude of Spartan women-is a woman of more than ordinary culture: she knows literature and speaks Spanish (according to Rizal)-died in Manila on August 16, 1911 at the age of 85
THE RIZAL CHILDREN
-Eleven children—two boys and nine girls1.
Saturnina (1850-1913)-oldest of the Rizal children-nicknamed Neneng-married Manuel T. Hidalgo of Tanawan, Batangas2.
Paciano (1851-1930)-older brother and confident of Jose Rizal-was a second father to Rizal-immortalized him in Rizal’s first novel Noli Me Tangere as the wise Pilosopo Tasio-Rizal regarded him as the “most noble of Filipinos”-became a combat general in the Philippine Revolution-died on April 13, 1930, an old bachelor aged 79-had two children by his mistress (Severina Decena)—a boy and a girl3.
Narcisa (1852-1939)-her pet name was Sisa-married to Antonio Lopez (nephew of Father Leoncio Lopez), a school teacher of Morong4.
Olimpia (1855-1887)-Ypia was her pet name-married Silvestre Ubaldo, a telegraph operator from Manila5.
Lucia (1857-1919)-married to Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, who was a nephew of Father Casanas-Herbosa died of cholera in 1889 and was denied Christian burial because he was a brother-in-law of Dr. Rizal6.
Maria (1859-1945-Biang was her nickname-married Daniel Faustino Cruz of Biñan, Laguna7.
Jose (1861-1896)-the greatest Filipino hero and peerless genius-nickname was Pepe-lived with Josephine Bracken, Irish girl from Hong Kong-had a son but this baby-boy died a few hours after birth; Rizal named him “Francisco” after his father and buried himin Dapitan8.
Concepcion (1862-1865)-her pet name was Concha-died of sickness at the age of 3-her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life9.
Josefa (1865-1945)-her pet name was Panggoy-died an old maid at the age of 8010.
Trinidad (1868-1951)-Trining was her pet name-she died also an old maid in 1951 aged 8311.
Soledad (1870-1929)-youngest of the Rizal children-her pet name was Choleng-married Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba
Rizal always called her sisters Doña or Señora (if married) and Señorita (if single)
Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso Realonda married on June 28, 1848, after which they settled down inCalamba
The real surname of the Rizal family was Mercado, which was adopted in 1731 by Domingo Lamco (the paternalgreat-great grandfather of Jose Rizal), who was a full blooded Chinese)
Rizal’s family acquired a second surname—Rizal—which was given by a Spanish alcalde mayor (provincial governor)of Laguna, who was a family friend