The Felipe Gonzales’s horse was scared by a viper and in spite of all Felipe’s efforts fell down from the cliff. Only thanks to the miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe they didn’t hurt themselves and didn’t brake the bones.

Leopoldo Morales fell down in the well and nobody searched him until the night because he was mute and no one noticed that he wasn’t around. His mother, doña Luz, thanks the Virgin of San Juan because her son didn’t drown and is already recovering from pneumonia.

The girl Rosita Cabrera was very sad because her sister made a mean joke and cut her plait. She thanks Santa Rita because her parents punish her sister and to Rosita they bought a lot of sweets and a doll.

The Hernandez sisters’ mother was very sick. They were very worried and prayed to the Virgin of Guadalupe for a miracle. And the miracle happened when Adela suddenly started to scatter luminous powder and small stars from her hands. It all floated by the room and shined like tiny sparks only much more beautiful. They wrapped around the sick mother and her sleep became calmer. Next morning she woke up healed. Her daughters give thanks for this miracle.

A devil had come to live in our kitchen.

I almost can’t distinguish the words after that. The devil wasted the food or stole it. He caused some damage and maybe push off one of the ladies. They prayed to Saint Paschal Baylon and the devil disappeared. The women give thanks.

Rosita Ortega was duped into buying a car with defects. She implored Saint Sebastian de Aparicio and he made that the authorities helped to recover her money. She thanks for that with this retablo.

I offer this retablo to Saint Raymond Nonnatus. I’m lucky because my wife at home doesn’t know about my affairs, and she’ll forgive me if she find out about my secret pleasures.

Mr. Felt
Mexico City
June 10, 2003

The mariachi band “Sun of Tecamachalco” thanks Saint Cecily with this retablo because she finally made Lupita, our singer, understand that she was a horrible singer and with her howl we were only loosing clients and offers. Now we are better. Since Lupita dedicated herself to the trumpet we are very happy.

Tecamachalco, Puebla, 1953

Joaquin Ramirez took his cows to drink water from the lake when suddenly an UFO appeared and abduct one cow. That cow wasn’t belong to Joaquin but to his friend. Joaquin thanks the Holy Child from Atocha because UFO didn’t abduct him and the friend believed him and didn’t charge him for the missing cow.

Texmelucan, 1969

I, Juan Peña, and my buddy, Delfino Hernandez, thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for sending us a relief from a heavy diarrhea when we saw the fucking devil while being totally drunk.

November 2, 1960

Virgin of Guadalupe, I dedicate this retablo to you thanking for saving us from an ambush of the federals. We got some wounds but managed to get through. We, revolutionaries who are fighting for the land and for the freedom, offer this retablo.

Guanajuato
September 24, 1917

I offer this humble retablo to the Archangel Michael for working out the miracle that I was able to help my father with money to open his pottery workshop since it was his childhood dream.

Teodora Morales
Tlaxcala, 1959

Virgin of San Juan, thank you for giving us enough strength to cross the desert and arrive in the USA where my son Jesus had a surgery to remove a tumor in his head. We thank you because you protected us under your cloak and now we are all right.

Antonio and Rozaura Murillo
Guadalajara, Jalisco — May 1, 1995