Ernesto Dominguez brings this retablo to Saint Pancras thanking him for a great success of his pipe smoking club where they try tobacco from all over the world.

A giant snail wanted to get into my house, and my Holy Virgin helped me so it went away.

I married Jose a year after he became a widower when his first wife died on the day of the wedding because of indigestion after eating too much. Turned out that the ghost of the first wife was very jealous. She began to appear at nights with the angry face and scared me a lot. Then I ordered a novena for her soul, and it made the ghost to go away and rest in peace. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because now I’m happy with Jose.

To the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe and to Saint Jude Thaddeus I offer this retablo so that they would help and protect the scavengers from the Bordo de Xochiaca dump where they bring waste and garbage from all over my city, the biggest in the world. In order to survive, they earn their living with dignity. I understood there’s no undignified job but undignified people. Remember that.

Alfredo Vilchis Roque
Corner of the miracles, Minas de Cristo
Mexico City — September 24, 2009

The pre-hispanic dancers Casimiro and Pancracio Perez dedicate this humble retablo to the Brown-skin girl from Tepeyac, Our Lady of Guadalupe for granting them health to be able to express their faith and visit her in her Basilica every December 12.

Mexico City

1914, in Chiautempan, my buddy caught me on the mat with his wife. He started to shoot at us. I give infinite thanks to Saint Pancras because bullets didn’t hit me. She took them all.

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because we sold our crop by a good price. With the money, we bought a cow and three pigs. We’ll began to breed pigs and we’ll have fresh milk for our children because they need it. We offer this retablo for helping us.

My sister Catalina fell off the stairs because our little brothers left their marbles there and she step on them and fell down hitting her head. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because my sister’s afro haircut helped her and softened the blow. She was stunned for a while but recovered.

Thanks for saving us from this mister.

Ricardo Ballesteros was sleeping with the open window on a warm night when suddenly some cats started fighting and rolled over him. He thanks Saint Francis for nothing serious happened and he was only frightened.

With all my heart, I ask the Holy Lord of Chalma with this retablo so that my son would never find out about my past and what I used to do before he was born. I was posing nude for some men magazines. And if he found out, let it be when he’s grown enough to understand the reasons why I did it.

Karen M., Mexico City

The gravedigger Ambrosio Ruiz was digging graves at night when he saw two skeletons who were dancing. He thanks Saint Jude Thaddeus with this retablo for they were only having fun and didn’t attack him.

I humbly dedicate this simple retablo to Saint George with my eternal gratitude for being with me on the day of my debut at the town bullring. I performed splendidly and received an ovation from the audience.

Salamanca, Guanajuato
Gerardo del Castillo