Hagiographic Counterimaginary: The Case of Pasyong Rizal

The influence of the Philippines’ foremost patriot and martyr, Jose Rizal (1861–1896), finds peculiar expression in chiliastic, quasi-religious groups that worship him as a transhistorical, Christ-like figure. Some of these groups’ doctrinal claims are included in Pasyong Rizal, a text drawing inspi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international journal of critical cultural studies 2021, Vol.19 (1), p.25-40
Main Author: Moratilla, Noel Christian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Christian theology
Colonialism
Cultural studies
Hagiography
Humanities
Religion
Religious cultural groups
Theology
Worship
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Summary:The influence of the Philippines’ foremost patriot and martyr, Jose Rizal (1861–1896), finds peculiar expression in chiliastic, quasi-religious groups that worship him as a transhistorical, Christ-like figure. Some of these groups’ doctrinal claims are included in Pasyong Rizal, a text drawing inspiration from the older Christian Pasyon, a narrative poem about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The paper argues that the reverence of a Christ-like Rizal as articulated in Pasyong Rizal exemplifies what I refer to as hagiographic counterimaginary, a recontextualization and reappropriation of Christian theology brought about by colonial subjugation, and, corollarily, the mythopoeic re-narrativization of the hero’s persona. The paper concludes that projects delving into the cultural practices of chiliastic groups such as the Rizalistas and other marginalized collectives can constitute a branch of subaltern studies in the Philippines.
ISSN:2327-0055
2327-2376
DOI:10.18848/2327-0055/CGP/v19i01/25-40