Viridiana Canseco Hernández

Saint Teresa of baby Jesus, thank you for helping me to recover. One moths ago a brick fell on me on the street, and I fell and injured my back. Later I was called to join the Mexican wrestling team. At the ring, I felt my spine cracking. It was so painful, and I might have remained paralyzed. But thanks to the surgery I’m good.

Manuel Reyes
Mexico City, 1957

Virgin of Guadalupe, thank you for the comfort you gave me. I was late to my work so I come back home. My partner wasn’t at home, I went to the roof. To my surprise I saw him hugging with another man. We had a huge fight, and he told me he had been going out with that guy. I kicked him out. It was very painful to me, but I had to break with him for good.

Alfredo Vale
Mexico City, 1969

Thank you, Virgin of Guadalupe, for saving me during that accident. January 1958, I was crossing a street and was hit by a car. My hip was broken, and I couldn’t walk for a year. I used a wheelchair. I prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe to help me to recover after many surgeries.

Fermin Guadarrama
Mexico City

Virgin of Guadalupe, thank you for restoring my beloved husband’s health. He was dying because of this infection he got from the bullet. Holy Mother, Virgin of Guadalupe, I offer you this humble retablo thanking for this miracle.

Aurora Ramos
Toluca, Mexico, 1957

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for making us invisible when the migration patrol was passing by. We were going to cross the river to get to the US and find my cousin who had already found a job for me there. I thank the Virgin for this job will help to support my family.

Anselmo Torres
Michoacan, Mexico, 1987

Virgin of San Juan, thank you for your help. I went to the cattle yard to give some water to Chaparro (The Shorty). That’s how I call my bull because he wouldn’t grow. I didn’t notice he wasn’t tied, and I thought he was sleeping as usual. But the bull chased me and pierced my leg. The wound wasn’t deep but the blow was so strong, I was kicked out of the yard.

Jacinto Felix
Tlaxcala, 1975

Virgin of San Juan, thank for your favors. I prayed to the Virgin for those two guys I met on my way wouldn’t kill me. I was coming back home, the two guys stopped me to ask the road. I noticed they were smoking marijuana and went away. But they chased me, grabbed me, tore my clothes up and raped me.

Chiapas, Mexico, 1967

Virgin of San Juan, thank for your favors. A cockfight was going on, and it seemed that my cock was going to win. I cheered him but then suddenly the other cock owner stab me in my eye. My eye fell off and I almost lost it. I thank the Virgin for enlightening the surgeon who worked on me.

Ambrosio Ibarra
Leon, Guanajuato, 1961

Holy Child of Atocha, thank you for having heard my prayers. I organized a bus trip to Zitucuaro, Michoacan, because I had a bus. It’s an old model but in good conditions. We almost arrived there when suddenly we were stopped by three armored men. They called themselves agents and began to check the passengers—as they were saying— for drugs and weapons. I was worried for kids. There were 10 of them in the bus. I think they were “sicarios” hitmen, because they were asking me what gang I’m in. I prayed them to let us go and finally they did.

Rafael Arroyo
Mexico City, 1981

Saint Charbel, thank you for your favors. I prayed you a lot so that I’d find my partner. We’d lived together for two years, and then he left me after he’d found out I had been cheating on him with another guy. I missed him and couldn’t resist to live on without him, so I went to search him. Finally I met him in a bar. I always imagined he’d be dressed in black. So it was, because he loves dressing up like this.

Martin Canto
Mexico City, 1978

Holy Face, I thank you for your favors. They said that the abandoned house is so scary because they hanged one man there at the time of the Mexican revolution. I didn’t believe it until one day I got so frightened that my body was paralyzed. I went home and fell off the horse. I had a small heart attack. I give infinite thanks for I managed to save myself from death.

Jaime Moreno
Monterrey, Mexico, 1958

Holy Child of Atocha, thank you for your favors. One hot summer morning, we went for a picnic in the state of Michoacan. While my wife was preparing some food, I was wetting my legs in the river. Then I felt a horrible pain. I was stung by a venomous snake. My wife promptly put me in the car and drove to a doctor office. Miraculously, I was saved. I entrusted myself to the Holy Child and now thank him.

Lucio Mora, 1957

We thank the Virgin Mary for we had made it to the other side without getting caught, although my brother Carlos caught the flu. Now, after 10 years in States, we got our documents and we aren’t illegals anymore. We ordered to build a new house for our mother who never wanted to go with us. That’s how much she loves her grandsons, so she preferred to stay with our sisters.

Agustin & Jose, 1956