Unbenownst to many Filipinos is that Jose P. Rizal, the most celebrated man in the Philippines, remains a notable person in Spain to this day. He is celebrated as a great thinker, a nationalist, an a noble 'son' of the Spanish Empire. Rizal's spirit not only lives in the Philippines and in the minds of the Filipino, but also in Spain. Afterall, Rizal, throughout his entire life, had respect and adored Spain. He referred to Spain as
'Madre de mi patria' or
'Madria Espana' (Mother of my country/ Mother Spain) and befriended Spanish politicians and publishers during the late 19th century in the cause for Filipino empowerment and enlightenment.
Rizal returned to the Philippines, against the wishes and the protests of Spaniards for fear that the Civil government in the Philippines would harm Rizal. Rizal knew full well of the consequences of returning to the Philippines, against the wishes of his Spanish friends and compatriots. (Note that during this time, Spaniards themselves were in a social revolution that wanted to liberalize itself from--inside out--many Spaniards at the time didn't even know of the conditions that the Filipinos were living under, didn't even know that the Filipinos were being persecuted and raped in their own land by the Monastic prelates, and the friarships)
It was Rizal who opened the minds of the Spanish intelligentsia that the Filipino people, who have been united with Spain for almost half a millenia were being treated and ruled against the humanitarian standards that the Spanish Cortes declared throughout its realm, Spain and in its territories abroad. Rizal died for his convictions, and that is why we celebrate him today. Forever. Spain too was not deaf to the news that its beloved son was executed under auspices of the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines. To this day, Spain still celebrates the life, death, and works of Jose P. Rizal. He remains in Spanish text books as a
Hijo del imperio de España++++++
historic street in Madrid, Spain.
One of the areas that Rizal stayed in in his studies
The Monument to the "Hijo del imperio de Espana". Spain's monument to Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
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