One morning, my brother and I went fishing. Suddenly two sharks appeared near us. We turned gray with fright, but that moment we implored Saint Peter for saving us from such a deadly danger. Little by little the sharks began to swim away. We bring this ex-voto, with all our faith and devotion.

Jasinto and Aurelio Benitez
Tampico, 1970

I had some health issues in the last years, so I couldn’t get married. However, my cats keep me company. I thank Saint Francis for sending them to me. I only ask for a good wife, but one who’d certainly love the cats because I can’t imagine life without them.

The girl Rosita Fernandez thought it would be fun to blow the trumpet next to her sleeping dad. However, it caused him a heart attack and he was taken to the hospital. Rosita thanks for her father didn’t die and promises to not make such jokes again.

I thank Saint Barbara for giving me the courage to leave my husband. He treated me and our kids badly, so I came back to my home town where I will live happily with my family and my old friends.

1920, Cayetano Ruiz was crossing the Ovando bridge in Puebla and met the Weeping Woman. He prayed to the Holy Child of Atocha. Since he protected him, Cayetano brings this retablo in gratitude.

After the wedding ceremony my fiancé and I ran to the beach. There we took off our shoes and celebrated the beginning of our life together. Then we took a horse and came back to the party. All the old ladies looked at us with reproach but we didn’t care bakes nothing could darken our illimitable happiness.

My grandmother’s ghost began to appear every night at the sewing machine. First I was scared, but then I understood that she came to help me with sewing. I had a lot of work to do and I was very tired. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for this amazing miracle.

Ramiro Treviño, the bass player of the rock band “The Night Cats”, had his hair on fire when the fireworks went on at the end of the concert. He thanks Saint Patrick because there were no grave consequences and he only lost his large mane.

Tijuana, Baja California

I thank Saint Francis because I earn enough money to support all the stray cats that come to my house. And they give me their love and keep me company.

One night my husband Filemon began snoring, and he snored ever since. I couldn’t sleep because of his noisy concert, and I even started thinking about the divorce. But then I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan, who saved my marriage because suddenly Filemon stopped snoring.

My children’s socks disappeared in a suspicious and alarming way—there was only one sock missing in every pair. I didn’t know what to do. I bought them more socks, but some time later they also had only one sock from every pair. But then, one night, I heard some noises from under the bed. I looked there and I saw blue demons, who turned out to be responsible for the socks disappearance. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for an idea to sprinkle the holy water under the beds. Now my kids have entire pairs of socks because the demons went away in fright.

Alfredo Martinez thanks the Virgin of San Juan because he met the great comic actor Cantinflas, whom he admires so much.

The cat died giving birth to the kittens. We were afraid that the kittens would die also—from hunger. But happened so our dog gave birth to her puppies. She accepted the kittens, she breastfed and cleaned them. We thank Saint Francis for such a good dog and the kittens are all right.