Jose Rizal was made a Master Mason on November 15, 1890 at Logia Solidaridad 53 in Madrid, Spain. He affiliated with a lodge under the jurisdiction of Grand Orient of France on October 14, 1891, and was made honorary Worshipful Master of Nilad Lodge No. 144 in 1892. There he delivered a lecture entitled "La Masonria".
According to Dean Jorge Bocobo, Rizal was influenced by Miguel Morayta, a history professor at the Universadad de Madrid, Rizal joined Masonry, under the Gran Oriente de Español, adopting the Masonic name, Dimasalang. He was automatically excommunicated, expelled from the Catholic Church, a fate decreed for all Catholics becoming Masons since 1738 and reaffirmed by the CBCP 1990.
Rizal had plenty of illustrious company including Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Ladislao Diwa, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Juan Luna, Deodato Arellano, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, H. Pardo de Tavera, and so many others in the Propaganda Movement and La Liga Filipina.
It was a Masonic trader, Jose Ramos, who first smuggled copies of the "Noli Me Tangere" into Manila.
In 1912, Rizal's family rejected a petition from the Jesuits to rebury their famous pupil. Instead, that honor was accorded to the Masons, led by Timoteo Paez, who, in full regalia, carried Rizal's remains in a long procession to the Masonic Temple in Tondo for funeral rites, before final interment at the Luneta in December 1912.
(source: Iligan Lodge No. 207 Bulletin, June 18, 2011)
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"Masonry is a great institution of learning because it teaches man...how to live cleanly, kindly, calmly, open-eyed and unafraid..." - Ill & Dr. Joseph Fort Newton, 33°
Thank you so much for publishing this slight note on the wonderful Jose Rizal.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Don, I am a student at Arizona State University, US. There are a few things that ignited my interest in Rizal. As a kindergartener, I attended the Jose Rizal Elementary school in Manila. I moved here to the US in 1996. My father, being a humble fan of Rizal, had always shared his stories with me concerning the Books he's read like Noli me Tangere and El Infertisi(...). Later on, as a young adult I began to discover a sliver of light from a Masonic Lodge in my home town. In November 2011, I was initiated into the Acacia Lodge #42 in Avondale, Az as an Entered Apprentice. Later did I come into realization that Dr. Jose Rizal himself was a Master Mason rasied in Madrid. The worshipful master of my lodge proposed that I write a biography of Rizal and include his Masonic accomplishments. Having found this article, I felt comfortable in knowing that there are people out there who still fancy his Masonic legend. Thank you brother.
So mote it be.
Dr.Jose Rizal (Dimasalang) is a Scotish Rite Mason or Rito Escoses Antigou Y Aceptado (REAA)it means that he is not a Free and Accepted Mason or American York Rite Mason... In GLP standing he is consider a Clandestine mason.....
ReplyDeletedear brother don
ReplyDeletetry to research first who is Timoteo Paez..