Jose Rizal’s Siblings: How His Brother and Sisters Affected the Life of the Filipino Hero

Not known to many, ‘Jose Rizal siblings’ contributed much to his personality and to the success of his endeavors. Are you familiar with Jose Rizal’s brother and sisters?

Let’s get to know each one of them:

But before we continue: You may want to know how the Rizal subject in the Philippines started through this short video. Note: To have a FULL ACCESS to the video, SUBSCRIBE first (if you have not subscribed yet):

Now, let us proceed:

Saturnina Rizal

Saturnina Rizal Hidalgo (1850-1913) is the eldest child of Don Francisco and Teodora Alonso.

She and her mother provided the little Jose with good basic education that by the age of three, Pepe (Jose’s nickname) already knew his alphabet. (Read: Rizal Early Education (and Jose Rizal Educational Background))

Saturnina had always been a loving ‘Ate’ Neneng to Jose. When their mother was imprisoned, Saturnina brought the young Jose to Tanauan during the summer vacation of 1873 just to cheer up the sad little brother.

Related: Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law (Its History and Important Provisions)

On his way to Marseilles in May 1882, Jose Rizal—perhaps missing her ‘ate’—dreamed that he was traveling with Neneng. (Continue reading about her and her great influence to Jose Rizal here: SATURNINA RIZAL: The Hero’s Second Mother)

Paciano Mercado Rizal

Paciano Rizal, Jose’s only brother, was born on March 7, 1851 in Calamba, Laguna. He was fondly addressed by his siblings as ‘Ñor Paciano,’ short for ‘Señor Paciano’. The 10-year older brother of Jose studied at San Jose College in Manila, became a farmer, and later a general of the Philippine Revolution.

A detailed discussion on Paciano’s life and his influence on Jose is available here: Paciano Rizal: Pinoy Hero’s Big Brother

After Jose Rizal’s execution in December 1896, his ‘kuya’ Paciano joined the Katipuneros in Cavite under General Emilio Aguinaldo. As Katipunero, Paciano was commissioned as general of the revolutionary forces and elected as secretary of finance in the Department Government of Central Luzon. (For Jose and Paciano’s collaboration and connection to Emilio Aguinaldo, read: Jose Rizal and Emilio Aguinaldo Connection

Read: Jose Rizal’s Collaborations with Other Heroes 

Narcisa Rizal

Narcisa Rizal (1852-1939) or simply ‘Sisa’ was the third child in the family. Later in history, Narcisa (like Saturnina) would help in financing Jose Rizal’s studies in Europe, even pawning her jewelry and peddling her clothes if needed.

It was said she could recite from memory almost all of the poems of our national hero. (Discussions on Jose’s known poems are available in: Jose Rizal’s Poems).

A detailed discussion on Narcisa Rizal’s influence to Jose Rizal is available here: NARCISA RIZAL: The Hospitable Sister of the Hero

Olympia Rizal

Olympia Rizal (1855-1887) is the fourth child in the Rizal family.

Jose loved to tease her, sometimes good-humoredly describing her as his stout sister. Jose’s first love, Segunda Katigbak, was Olympia’s schoolmate at the La Concordia College.

Read: The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal by Jensen DG. Mañebog

Rizal confided to Olympia (also spelled ‘Olimpia’) about Segunda, and the sister willingly served as the mediator between the two teenage lovers.

For Jose Rizal-and-Segunda Katigbak’s love story, read: The Colorful Love Affairs of Dr. Jose Rizal. For Olympia Rizal’s influence to Jose Rizal, read: OLYMPIA RIZAL: The Sister Whom the Hero Loves to Tease

Lucia Rizal Herbosa

Lucia Rizal (1857–1919) is the fifth child in the family. She married Mariano Herbosa of Calamba, Laguna. Charged of inciting the Calamba townsfolk not to pay land rent and causing unrest, the couple was once ordered to be deported along with some Rizal family members.

Lucia’s husband died during the cholera epidemic in May 1889 and was refused a Catholic burial for not going to confession since his marriage to Lucia. In Jose Rizal’s article in La Solidaridad entitled Una profanacion (A Profanation), he scornfully attacked the friars for declining to bury in ‘sacred ground’ a ‘good Christian’ simply because he was the “brother-in-law of Rizal”.

Read: The Interesting Tales of the Jose Rizal Family 

Lucia Rizal’s other sacrifices for the sake of Jose Rizal are discussed here: LUCIA RIZAL: Partaker of the Hero’s Sufferings

Maria Rizal Cruz

Maria Rizal (1859-1945) is the sixth child in the family. It was to her whom Jose talked about wanting to marry Josephine Bracken when the majority of the Rizal family was apparently not amenable to the idea.

In his letter dated December 28, 1891, Jose Rizal wrote to her sister Maria, “I’m told that your children are very pretty.” Today, we have a historical proof that Maria’s progenies were indeed nice-looking (‘lahing maganda’).

Maria and her husband, Daniel Faustino Cruz had five children: Mauricio, Petrona, Prudencio, Paz, and Encarnacion. Their son Mauricio married Conception Arguelles, and the couple had a son named Ismael Arguelles Cruz. Ismael was the father of Gemma Cruz Araneta, the first Filipina to win the Miss International title, also the first Southeast Asian to win in an international beauty pageant title.

For more interesting discussions about Maria Rizal, read MARIA RIZAL: The Hero’s Confidant.

Concepcion Rizal

Also called ‘Concha’ by her siblings, Concepcion Rizal (1862-1865) was the eight child of the Rizal family. She died at the age of three.

Of his sisters, it was said that the young Pepe loved most little Concha who was a year younger than him. Jose played games and shared children stories with her, and from her he felt the beauty of sisterly love at young age.

Read more about her here: CONCEPCION RIZAL: The Hero’s First Grief

Josefa Rizal

Josefa Rizal’s nickname is Panggoy (1865-1945). She’s the ninth child in the family.

Panggoy died a spinster. Among Jose Rizal’s letters to Josefa, the one dated October 26, 1893 is perhaps the most fascinating. Written in English, the letter addressed Josefa as “Miss Josephine Rizal.”

After Jose’s martyrdom, the epileptic Josefa joined the Katipunan and was even said to have been elected the president of its women section. She was one of the original 29 women admitted to the Katipunan along with Gregoria de Jesus, wife of Andres Bonifacio.

They safeguarded the secret papers and documents of the society and danced and sang during sessions so that civil guards would think that the meetings were just harmless social gatherings. (Continue reading about her here: JOSEFA RIZAL: The Katipunera

Trinidad Rizal

Trinidad Rizal (1868-1951) or ‘Trining’ was the tenth child. Historically, she became the custodian of Rizal’s last and greatest poem.

Right before Jose’s execution, Trinidad and their mother visited him in the Fort Santiago prison cell.

Read: The Interesting Tales of the Jose Rizal Family 

As they were leaving, Jose handed over to Trining an alcohol cooking stove, a gift from the Pardo de Taveras, whispering to her in a language which the guards could not understand, “There is something in it.”

That ‘something’ was Rizal’s elegy now known as “Mi Ultimo Adios.” Like Josefa, Paciano, and two nieces, Trinidad joined the Katipunan after Jose’s death. (More about her here: TRINIDAD RIZAL: The Custodian of the Hero’s Greatest Poem)

Soledad Rizal

Also called ‘Choleng,’ Soledad Rizal (1870-1929) was the youngest child of the Rizal family. Being a teacher, she was arguably the best educated among Rizal’s sisters.

In his long and meaty letter to Choleng dated June 6, 1890, Jose Rizal told her sister that he was proud of her for becoming a teacher. He thus counseled her to be a model of virtues and good qualities “for the one who should teach should be better than the persons who need her learning.”

Rizal nonetheless used the topic as leverage in somewhat rebuking her sister for getting married to Pantaleon Quintero of Calamba without their parents’ consent. “Because of you,” he wrote, “the peace of our family has been disturbed.”

Choleng’s union with Pantaleon, nonetheless resulted in Rizal family’s becoming connected by affinity to Miguel Malvar, the hero who could have been listed as the second Philippine President for taking over the revolutionary government after Emilio Aguinaldo’s arrest in 1901. Find out how here: SOLEDAD RIZAL: The Hero’s Controversial Sister

These are just some of the interesting information about ‘Jose Rizal siblings’ (brother and sisters).’ For comprehensive home page of interesting and informative lectures/articles about Jose Rizal, check out: Jose Rizal: Basic Facts and FAQs about the Filipino Hero.

If you want to know more about Rizal (e.g. Rizal girlfriends), search here:

And for the various controversies related to Jose Rizal’s family, I invite you to read: The Interesting Tales of the Jose Rizal Family

SA MGA MAG-AARAL: Maaaring ilagay ang inyong assignment/comment dito sa comment section ng Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law (Its History and Important Provisions)

Copyright © 2014-present by Jensen DG. Mañebog

Jensen DG. Mañebog, the contributor, is an author of textbooks and professorial lecturer emeritus in the graduate school of a state university in Metro Manila. His unique e-books on Rizal (available online) comprehensively tackle, among others, the respective life of Rizal’s parents, siblings, co-heroes, and girlfriends. (e-mail: [email protected])

Read Also:
The Interesting Tales of the Jose Rizal Family
 by Jensen DG. Mañebog

Questions for Discussion:
What are the basic facts about Rizal? Who is Jose Rizal (summary)?

SA MGA MAG-AARAL: Maaaring ilagay ang inyong assignment/comment dito sa comment section ng Republic Act 1425 Rizal Law (Its History and Important Provisions)