I thank Our Lady of Lourdes because now I know the difference between croquet and a croquette.

Little Jaime Sanchez was playing at the kitchen and put a knife in his arm. His parents thank Saint Paschal with this retablo for nothing serious happened.

The fisherman Agripino from Angel, Oaxaca, and his son thank the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patroness of the fishermen, for healing his arms and giving him strength to keep fishing in open sea where he catches lutjanus fish. He saved money for a new boat. Bless the fishing with the help of the Holy Virgin.

March, 1950

The other night, my boyfriend and I were making love. My mother heard the noise and almost caught us. I thank the Lord of Chalma because my boyfriend managed to hide himself in time and she didn’t notice him. I promise to be a good girl.

Calixta Perez, 1976

The little goat of my daughter Silvana ran on the road and was hit by a track. It was in very bad condition, and we prayed the Virgin of Zapopan so that the poor animal would survive. The Virgin worked the miracle, and few weeks later the goat got cured. Now it’s like a new one—runs and jumps. We offer this retablo for that.

Armando Mejia brings this retablo to Saint Martha for saving his life when he had a food poisoning after eating spoiled seafood in a restaurant.

My son complained that he had been bullied a lot by one of his classmates. I told him that he should defend himself, and one day my son kicked that boy very good. What I didn’t imagine is that the boy would complain to his dad who tuned out to be a mixed martial arts instructor. They were waiting for us after the lessons. I thank the Holy Child of Atocha for we could fix all this with dialogue, because I thought he’d definitely going to beat the shit out of me.

Valentin Bueno
Mexicali, Baja California

Thank you Holy Virgin now I have long hair and a braid.

I had a successful career, I had money, position in society, property, women. But I wasn’t happy at all. I left all of this. Now I’m selling newspapers at a corner. I live under a bridge. My best friends are three cats and a lame dog. I do not need anything else. I’m happy when I see the sun rising in the morning, or the stars in the night sky, when I feel cool wind on my skin or warming sun lights. I’m alive. And tomorrow… I really do not care about tomorrow. I’m grateful to the Virgin of Zapopan for my new life and my inner harmony.

The fishing was going worse and worse with every day. I couldn’t catch anything at all. I prayed the Archangel Raphael, and the incredible miracle happened on the next day. Two beautiful mermaids began to catch fish and put them in my boat until it was filled. From that day I’m like a magnet for fish and have no shortage in food. Thanks.

Rodrigo Alcantara, the most handsome bachelor in the area, proposed to me. He said that I had won his heart with my food. In fact, I’m very proud about my cooking skills so I gladly agreed to marry Rodrigo. I thanks Saint Anthony for the happy marriage.

Mariana and Lupita Perez were picking up the laundry when the storm began and a lightning almost hit their house. By a pure miracle, at the last moment it changed the direction and hit a tree which got on fire immediately. Mariana, Lupita and their family thank Saint Michael Archangel for protecting their home from the lightning.

Señora Ana Maria Perez went to the circus, and an element got mad there. It grabbed her with its trunk and threw away. She thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe for surviving and recovering.