When I put my daughter Rosita in a boarding school, she became a sleepwalker. She walked on the roof of the school. I was very much worried that my daughter was in such danger, so I took her back from the school. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan to cure her, and the Holy Virgin worked a miracle. My Rosita doesn’t walk in her sleep anymore. I give thanks.

Sandra Lopez, Corrales de Rios

Santiago Merino wanted to kill himself and fired a bullet, but it just scratched his head because he didn’t know how to handle a weapon. He thanks Saint Nicholas of Bari with this retablo for his intervention, and he’s feeling better now.

I’m gay but my family doesn’t know about it because they wouldn’t understand me. I even get a girlfriend so they wouldn’t suspect anything. But she insisted on intimacy. So one night I was going to try it but at the end couldn’t do it. I’m infinitely thankful to Saint Sebastian because she didn’t get angry and we remained good and confident friends. She promised me to not reveal my secret.

Saúl N.
Mexicali, Baja California

My husband was always inventing strange devices of small practical use. But one day the circus people saw him on his monocycle with super-accelerator, and they loved it. They bought it and ordered him few more. We give thanks because with this money we could open a small groceries shop. So my husband can keep inventing his strange things, and we won’t lack money.

In the month of July, don Odilon Mendez was stung by a scorpion in the field. He implored the Virgin of Guadalupe for her divine help and in few days got recovered. He was back to his job as a tlachiquero—pulque gatherer. For such a great miracle, he dedicates this humble retablo.

Zapopan, Jalisco

The spaniard Pedro Velazquez came to Mexico and established a production of jamon serrano with an unique taste. WIth this retablo, he thanks the Lord of the Wonders for his success.

I was coming back from the market and saw a pair of dogs that cornered two cats in an alley. The cats’ hair stood up, and they didn’t know where to run. I quickly grabbed them and ran away, and the dogs ran after us. I thank Saint Quiteria for we got into the church before the dogs attacked us. So I saved the cats, with the help of the saint to whom I dedicate this retablo.

I ask the Virgin of Guadalupe with all my heart to help to the kids from the streets and to all the poor men of this country.

We thank for the crocodile didn’t catch our piglet.

Look, if I loved you for the hair,
now, when you’re bald, I love you not.

I bring this retablo to Saint Jude Thaddeus in gratitude for my friend Frida, the painter, has got an improvement and is having a positive attitude.

Mexico, 1949

My husband and I thank the Virgin of the Solitude with this retablo for allowing us to perform the Son Jarocho dance every weekend in the city center and in the arcades. It fills us with pride to keep our traditions alive and to share our music with the tourists who visit the beautiful city of Veracruz.

Inocencia Cruz and Pascual Dominguez

Elena M. and Juana R. were arguing in public baths over a man, and they ended up grabbing each other by the topknots. They bring this retablo to Saint Pancras thanking him for they didn’t hurt themselves very much and only made fools of themselves. Now they are friends again.

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for having guided us during our peyote trip in the desert in which we saw various wonders such as flowers of incandescent light and improbable animals that showed us the way and illuminated our path. We came back from this trip much wiser and more tolerant to the other human beings, and also more understanding.