30/06/2026
Teodora Alonso with the Skull of José Rizal
One of the most haunting images in Philippine history, this (AI enhanced) photograph shows Doña Teodora Alonso Realonda holding the skull of her son, Dr. José Rizal, after his remains were recovered from Paco Cemetery. More than a historical photograph, it is a poignant testament to a mother’s enduring love and the family’s determination to honor Rizal’s memory.
Following Rizal’s ex*****on on 30 December 1896 at Bagumbayan, the Spanish colonial government secretly buried him in an unmarked grave at Paco Cemetery, denying his family immediate access to his remains. His sister, Narcisa Rizal, eventually located the burial site and discreetly marked it with the initials “R.P.J.” (“Rizal, Protacio, Jose,” in reverse order) to identify the grave without arousing the suspicion of the authorities.
After the end of Spanish rule in 1898, the Rizal family obtained permission to exhume his remains. The bones were taken to the family’s home, where they were cleaned, placed in an urn, and safeguarded until they were later interred beneath the monument that now stands in Rizal Park (Luneta).
This photograph is widely recognized as an authentic image of Doña Teodora holding Rizal’s skull and has appeared in respected Rizal scholarship. However, historians caution that the exact date, photographer, and circumstances surrounding the photograph remain unknown. It should not be interpreted as depicting the exhumation itself, but rather a moment after Rizal’s remains had already been returned to his family, making it one of the most moving visual reminders of the personal sacrifice behind the life and legacy of the Philippine national hero.
— at NHCP Museo ni Jose Rizal Fort Santiago.
