Remembering the most distinguished Atenean

From the alcohol lamp where he hid his final farewell to the rosary he used in his last days, mementos of the short but full life of national hero Jose Rizal are currently on display in a series of exhibits at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

The Jesuit school honors its most distinguished alumnus on his 150th birth anniversary by showcasing relics and literary works associated with the man who inspired the Philippine revolution.

The series seeks to make the 19th century Filipino relevant to his 21st century compatriots.

The exhibits, “A Legacy of Service: Rizal for the 21st Century,” were inaugurated at the Ateneo Rizal Library on June 17. Rizal’s descendants, members of the diplomatic corps, professors and students, among others, attended the kickoff of the university’s yearlong commemoration of the hero’s 150th birthday.

“The entire work of art that is his life should not only be confined to the tradition of one family but is an inspiration for an entire nation. Thus, we, the family, are honored and humbled to share with all of you the person of Dr. Jose Rizal,” said 97-year-old Francisco Lopez, great grandson of Rizal’s older brother Paciano and the oldest Rizal descendant.

The message was delivered on Lopez’s behalf by grandchild Alphonse Lopez Pinto.

“It’s very important to see the actual artifacts and memorabilia of the national hero to, let’s say, give visible form to his importance as a person,” said Pinto in an interview.

“If there is one quality that we got from Rizal I think, my elders always told me to have integrity and be honest, and to realize one’s self through education, through reading, through literature, through the arts and the sciences. Through this knowledge and wisdom, one can help those who are suffering, those who are poor,” said Pinto.

Rizal spent seven years at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, the university’s Spanish colonial-time campus in Intramuros.

In his memoirs, Rizal wrote in 1882: “I owe a great deal to the Jesuits, almost everything that I am.”

Edna Franco, Ateneo’s vice president for administration and planning, said, “Rizal himself said that he spent some of the happiest years of his life at the Ateneo de Manila. And the Ateneo has returned the favor by considering him as its most distinguished alumnus. The idea that we are proud of Rizal is an understatement.”

The recent ceremonies gathered at least 28 Rizal descendants, including foreign-based great grandchildren of the national hero’s siblings.

Pinto said Rizal’s birth anniversary brought their clan together from all over the world. The occasion also underlined the importance of what Filipino heroes have done for the country.

Still on the issue of qualities the hero passed on to his descendants, he said, “Like everyone else, we (the Rizal family) are inspired to actually develop our skills, our personal integrity.”

The first showcase that will welcome visitors at the Rizal library is “Rizal in the Ateneo/The Ateneo in Rizal,” curated by history professor and Inquirer columnist Ambeth Ocampo.

At the entrance to the exhibit is a bust of Rizal done by national artist Guillermo Tolentino in 1930. The sculpture was placed on a pedestal “to approximate Rizal’s height” of 5’2, said Ocampo in a message read during the opening rites (he was abroad).

Also featured are Rizal’s merit cards during his time at the Ateneo, photographs with friends, a silver quill he received as a special prize in an 1879 literary contest conducted by the Liceo Literario de Manila, his 1875 sculpture of the Sacred Heart in batikuling wood, as well as a pair of his wife Josephine Bracken’s embroidered slip-ons.

The literary exhibit “Rizal, The Literary Genius,” is at the library’s upper floor. It features Rizal’s works, including typewritten poems and handwritten essays. Countless books written about him are also on display.

Inquirer columnist John Nery launched his book “Jose Rizal in Southeast Asia” on July 8 and history professors are scheduled to deliver a series of lectures on Rizal this month.

Tanghalang Ateneo will stage cultural performances in October.