Rizalista religious movements movements The Rizalista religious movements refers to the new religious movement adopted movement adopted by a number of ethnic religious groups in the Philippines Philippines that that believe in the divinity divinity of of Jose Rizal, Rizal, the Philippines' de facto national hero. hero . Many of these sects or religious movements believe believe that Rizal is still living and that he will deliver his followers from oppression and poverty. Rizalist Rizalist groups have differing views on the divinity of Jose Rizal. ome believe that he is !od himself, some believe that Rizal was the second son of !od, the reincarnation reincarnation of "hrist. ome of these groups also identify Rizal as the god of the pre#panish Malay religion. $%& ome only see as Rizal as a spiritual guide. $& (eaders of the sect often claim that )ey people in the Philippine Revolution including Revolution including Rizal himself were reincarnation of the *irgin Mary. Mary. Many of these groups claim that the only )ey $& to salvation salvation is is by +oining their group. group. The Rizalist religious movement ranged from colorums which were prevalent during the %-s up to the %-s to Philippine /enevolent Missionary 0ssociation, 0ssociation, which was led b y Ruben 1cleo. $& 0mong these movements are the 2glesia agarada 3amilia, (ipi ni Rizal, Pilipinas 4atawat, the Molo and the 2glesia ng 4atawat ng (ahi. $&
2glesia ng 4atawat ng (ahi The 2glesia ng 4atawat ng (ahi is the considered as the original Rizalist group. The sect was established on 5ecember 6, %-7. Rev. 3r. (uis 3abrigar and Jose *alincunoza was the sect's first upreme /ishop and president respectively. $& The sect's head8uarters is located in "alamba "alamba,, (aguna (aguna and and has established % chapters throughout the Philippines. 2n the %-9s, the number of Rizalista converts was about %, the highest amount in sect's history. 0s of %, the sect's membership was reduced by at least - percent. The sect is currently led by /onifacio Relleta . $&
Beliefs and practices The 2glesia ng 4atawat 4atawat ng (ahi re8uires aspiring priest to study in an institution somewhere in /icol. Their priests are also allowed to marry after they have served the church for at least five years. ect officials are not paid and are supported by donations by the sect's financially able members. $& 0longside the /ible /ible,, they also have the ugong :ayumanggi, the second most important boo) for the sect. Rizal's two novels, ;oli novels, ;oli Me Tangere Tangere and and 1l 3ilibusterism 3ilibusterismo o is considered by some as the sect's counterpart of the /ible of the "atholics by $& some elders. elders. They also have only three commandments commandments as opposed to the ten by ten by the "atholic "hurch. "hurch . The Rizalistas are taught to love !od, people and society. Recently love for the environment environment were were added to their teachings. $& The birth and death anniversary of Rizal are Rizal are considered one of the most important holiday for the sect. 5uring these days the sect celebrates Misa de Tres an elaborate celebration of flowers, flags and parades. !omburza 5ay, 5ay, /onifacio 5ay and 5ay and other national holidays are also important holidays for the sect. The sect also celebrates "hristmas "hristmas every every ecution in /agumbayan. The point out that when Rizal's body was about to be e>humed in Paco Par), Rizal was nowhere to be found and that a tree trun) and a pair of shoes was found at the site. They believed that Rizal is still living in Mount Ma)iling. Ma)iling.$& The sects has its version on the account of Jose Rizal's life. Jose Rizal as a baby was found by 3rancisco Mercado and Teodora Teodora 0lonzo, who were recorded by documented historical accounts accounts as his biological parents. The couple wanted to baptize Rizal as Jove Re> 0l, but the name was turned down due to it being close to "hrist's name by the officiating "atholic priest. The baby was then baptized as Jose Rizal. The first preachers of the sect were referred to as the /anal na Tinig. They are believed believed to be $& able to communicate with Rizal, who lived in Ma)iling.
Rizal Worship: The Rizalistas The Rizalistas are a group of people who worship Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, as a divine being and deity. deity. imilar to other religious groups, the Rizalistas have different sects whose beliefs may vary, but nonetheless share the same faith in Jose Rizal. These sects have different founders, founded on different dates, and are scattered in different parts of the archipelago. archipelago. ome of the registered groups groups of Rizalistas today include? include?
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1spiritual Pilipino "atholic "hurch
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amahan ng Tatlong Persona olo 5ios
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2glesia agrada 3ilipina
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"iudad Mistica de 5ios
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4atawat ng (ahi
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0damista
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/athalismo
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0nd many others@ These individual sects each have their own chapters all over the country and even abroad. ome of them are found primarily in (aguna, in the town of "alamba, and in Auezon Province at the foot of Mount /anahaw.
Parallels: Jesus Christ and Jose Rizal Rizalistas believe that there are apparent parallels in the lives and persons of both Jose Rizal, and Jesus "hrist. ome of them even believe that Rizal was "hrist himself, reincarnated. These parallel traits and characteristics include?
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Jose Rizal is the messiah of the Philippines, +ust as Jesus "hrist is the messiah of 2 srael. /oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal were good and upright men who pursued their ideals with purest methods and intentions.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal were 0sians.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal were born into a country that was under colonial rule.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal paid no attention to human differences in status, education, race, etc. and believed in e8ual and peaceful coe>istence of all human beings.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal were healers.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal underwent moc)ery and trial for un+ust charges.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal were e>ecuted b y their enemies.
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/oth Jesus "hrist and Jose Rizal died for what they believed in.
