The national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal credits much of what he has achieved to the education that he has received in the Ateneo. What follows is a timeline of Rizal’s lifelong love affair—though sometimes tumultuous—with the Ateneo and the Jesuits.

1871

Rizal takes the entrance test to the Ateneo and passes with an average mark, “aprobado.”

1872

Rizal officially enters the Ateneo.

Rizal has initial difficulties adjusting in school, as he was a diminutive probinsyano new to the urban scene. The priest handling admissions was inclined to reject him due to his size, but a family friend intervened in his behalf.

1873

Though doing reasonably well in class, he still lagged behind his classmates in the competitive Ateneo atmosphere. By the end of his first year, he graduated with no medal, failing to rank highly in class.

1874

Rizal ended the school year ranked fifth in his class.

1876

Rizal started boarding in the school, which seemed to do him good. He strengthened his relationships with his Jesuit friends, took extra classes, and ended the year at the top of his class.

1877

Rizal obtained his Bachelor of Arts with the distinction of sobresaliente (excellent). He graduated as the highest ranked among the 12 students in his batch who made it through all five years of the Ateneo education.

In his later letters, Rizal noted that during this time, his final year in the Ateneo, he had an upsurge in his nationalistic feelings. However, he noted that the Ateneo did not teach the value of patriotism.

1878

A year after receiving his AB, and after taking extra classes in agriculture and topography in the Ateneo, Rizal receives another degree from the school to be certified as a land assessor.

1882

Before leaving for Europe, Rizal writes in his memoirs, “I owe much to [the Jesuits]—almost everything that I am and stand for.”

1887

Rizal writes his first novel, Noli Me Tangere. He repeatedly mentions the Ateneo and the Jesuits in a good light.

1891

Rizal publishes El Filibusterismo.

1892

By this time, Rizal has ceased to be the religious man he once was. He had embraced freemasonry, along with other progressive indios at that time. As he was exiled in Dapitan, the Jesuit priests Sánchez and Pastells, already former friends in the Ateneo, took the lead in convincing Rizal to return to the fold.

1896

Rizal spent the last days leading to his execution in the company of two Jesuits who he had known in the Ateneo. The two Jesuits stood by his side as he was walked to Bagumbayan to be killed by firing squad.