The gravedigger of the town cemetery Pafilo Molina worked till late hours cleaning the graves for the Night of All Saints. Suddenly he heard some noise. Frightened he came closer and saw some dead men celebrating their day. One dead lady even invited him to dance. He thanks Saint Michael for he managed to escape from death and now can tell the story.

Teziutlan, Puebla

The Hernandez brothers, Panfilo and Silvestre, bring this retablo to Saint Isidor the Labourer because they managed to buy some land in their village for the money they’d earned as farm-workers in USA.

Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas

My donkey Filemon was very stubborn. He refused to go neither forward or backward. He stopped halfway delaying my work in the fields. I entrusted myself to Saint Anthony the Great, and he worked a miracle. My donkey pays me attention, and I have no problems with him anymore.

Lauro Hernandez
Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala

I want to thank Saint Jude for we have come back to Mexico. I married an American woman and we moved to US for five years. There I really missed tacos, mole, tamales and all others pleasures of my beloved Mexico. My wife Katherine also loves Mexican food.

Luciano Martinez

I wanted to surprise my family so I dressed up as Santa Claus and got in the house to put the gifts around. One thing I didn’t think through is that my dog Rambo wouldn’t recognize me. He attacked me and chased all around the house. I thank Saint Nicholas of Bari for my wife could hold the dog before he did more damage to the house and bit my Santa Claus costume in pieces.

Abelino Torres
Toluca, Mexico state

Marcial Perez thanks Saint James the Apostle for Don Goyo doesn’t erupt anymore. Although there is a smoke coming out sometimes, the people of the village keep living without worrying about mr. Popocatepetl.

Santiago Xalitzintla, Puebla

Note:
Don Goyo is a popular nickname for Popocatépetl.

Martina Ojeda thanks Saint Joseph for the miracle that her husband Eulalio came back home to celebrate the Christmas with her and their children. He worked whole year and they didn’t see him all that time and missed him so much.

Torreon, Coahuila

Margarito Navarro thanks Saint Jude Thaddeus with this retablo for protecting him during the performance of this antique ritual of the flying-men. He inherited this tradition from his father and grandfather and now keeps it alive.

Cuetzalan, Puebla

I thank Saint Martin the Cavalryman for helping me out with my job. Thanks to my job as a dressmaker I could support my daughter who is about to finish her secretary studies. I dedicate this humble retablo for that.

Gregoria Cuautle
Puebla de los Angeles

With great faith and devotion, I want to thank Saint Isidor the Laborer with this retablo for he saved all my flowers during that strong hailstorm that fell on my fields. I was afraid I lost all the flowers but thanks to his divine intervention they all were saved. Now I can take them to the market and sell.

Guadalupe Barrales
State of Mexico

My wife and I used to work together in the same company. But then one day there were doing cutting of employees and I was fired. So I took upon myself all the house duties, cooking including. It was very hard, everything was going wrong. I implored Saint Paschal’s help, and, after many attempts, my dishes started to turn out good and delicious. I thank for such a miracle, and I even think of opening a budget cafe in my garage.

Julian Segura
Pachuca, Hidalgo

My son was a very naughty boy. He didn’t like to study at all. His teacher couldn’t stand him and was about to expel him from the elementary school. I thank Saint Nicholas of Bari for having heard my prayers. My Carlito changed and began studying. Al least he scored 6 points in the exam, so he might pass to another grade, after three attempts.

Gumersinda Castro
Chiapas, 1979

German Quiroga dedicates this retablo to the Virgin of San Juan thanking her for always protecting and supporting him when he enters the arena facing the angry bulls and risking his life. He thanks because it always ends well for him.

Aguascalientes, Mexico