Saint Paciano

Paciano Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda was born on March 9, 1851, in Calamba, Laguna, Philippines. He studied at San José College in Manila and befriended Priest José Burgos, residing in his home during his studies. When the 1872 Cavite mutiny implicated Burgos and other priests, they were executed. Paciano assisted in enrolling his brother José into secondary and tertiary education. After Burgos's death, Paciano returned to Calamba to manage the family hacienda. To support José's desire to travel to Europe, Paciano and their uncle Antonio helped him leave without informing their parents. Paciano supported the Propaganda Movement and Katipunan. An agrarian crisis in 1888 led to his family being evicted from their house; he was subsequently exiled to Mindoro and Jolo.

After José's execution, Paciano joined the Katipunan forces under Emilio Aguinaldo, becoming a general of revolutionary forces and serving as Secretary of Finance for Central Luzon. He played a key role in the Battle of Calamba during the Philippine–American War but was captured in 1900. Released, he returned to farming. Paciano died on April 13, 1930, at his home in Los Baños and was buried at the Manila North Cemetery.