Josephine Bracken

Who was Josephine Bracken?

Marie Josephine Leopoldine Bracken was the common-law wife of Philippine national hero José Rizal during his exile in Dapitan in the province of Zamboanga del Norte in the southern Philippines. In the early morning hours of December 30, 1896, the day of his execution by firing squad, the couple was married in Fort Santiago, the place of his incarceration, following a reconciliation with the Catholic Church. The marriage, though, is disputed by some sectors because no records were found regarding the union, discounting the unusual events of that day, even if it was attested by Josephine herself and the officiating priest.