I went to the cemetery to pass some drinks. I didn’t remember that it was November 1. At the midnight I heard strange noises, so I climbed a tree and from over there I saw the dead who began chatting with each other. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for they didn’t see me. At the dawn they disappeared, and I could get down.

With this humble retablo, my wife Remedios and I want to thank Saint Isidor the Labourer for the good harvest of marigold flowers this year, so we’ll have good sales at the cemeteries on the next Day of the Dead.

Margarito Hernández
Atlixco, Puebla

I dedicate this retablo to the always Holy Virgin of Guadalupe. The Night of the Dead, I was glad I’d been able to collect some money to put up my altar with lot of offerings, including even mole and pulque. At the last moment, a sparkle fell on me and I was taken by fire immediately, but thanks to the Virgin’s intervention nothing happened.

Eulalia Garcia

The night of November 2, I was taking care of some tomes at the cemetery. I received a great shock when I saw with my own eyes a dead man who opened his casket and was ready to get out of it. I prayed the Lord of Chalma for protection and could escape safely. Next time I’m offered a job at the cemetery, I’d rather refuse.

Aquilino Morales
Guanajuato, 1947

The Day of the Dead, I made an altar in honor of my late husband. And the Virgin made a miracle. My husband himself came to see it. I was lucky to be with him again, even it was for a few seconds. I thank for having seen my husband again—so handsome and happy.

The Day of the Dead, Gudelia Sambrano met a ghost who chased her. She prayed the Lord of the Wonders and now offers him a retablo thanking him for she got home safe and sound.

Zacatlan, 1925

The night of the Day of the Dead, a pair of skeletons asked me to give them a ride under the moonlight. Since I was half-drunk and needed money, I agreed. I thank the Virgin of the Rosary for they didn’t take me to their graves at the dawn.

I’m thankful for the Day of the Skeleton.

The night of the Day of Dead, I woke up to drink a glass of water and got very frightened seeing the dead eating the food from the altar we made in honor of my grand-mother. I prayed Saint Michael the Archangel so that he would rest their souls. And right that moment, they disappeared. I dedicate this retablo in gratitude.

Teofilo Guzman
Tlaxcala, 1958

The evening of November 2, the Day of the Dead, in the vicinity of San Javier, Pancho Garcia and his donkey ran into a wandering dead soul. Pancho entrusted himself to the Holy Child of Atocha and could escape with his donkey from the danger. He thanks for that.

1915

The Day of the Dead, the dead came out of their graves to have fun. They choose my tepacheria place to dance and play music. I was scared, and all customers who were alive ran away. I thought I was going to earn nothing and only to lose money that night. But thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe the skeletons turned out to be good clients. When they went away—because of the rooster—they left me various gold coins which were very valuable.

Tepacheria is a bar where they serve tepache, a fermented beverage made from the pineapple peel.

We went fishing at dawn. Suddenly we heard laughs and music. Then we saw a boat on which a lot of skeletons were celebrating the Day of the Dead. They called us to join their party. We prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe, and thanks to her a strong wave took us away from them. We managed to come back home safe and sound.

On the Night of the Dead, our friends, my husband and I were going to the capital. We stopped to have a rest and to eat in a remote village in San Luis Potoci. We noticed there was a hall where the celebration was going on. So we decided to dance a little. But at the midnight all the inhabitants of the village turned into skeletons. We got scared and ran away. We thank the Virgin of San Juan for the dead men didn’t do anything to us.