Thanks to the Lord of the Souls for moving away a fierce animal from our lands. It was killing our flocks and even christians. I dedicate this retablo thanking for the favor.

I thank the Virgin of the Light, because even I sell my body, I’m alright every day. Although I know it’s no good.

Mérida, Yucatán, 1959

I was being told that because I’m so fat I’d be an old maid forever. It saddened me, so I prayed to Saint Antony for a lover who’d love me for who I am. He fulfilled my wish, and now my Pepe makes me happy. He asked me for marriage with a serenade, and all my friends were envy. They always criticized me, but it was me who got married first.

Hipolita Hernandez, Guadalajara

I thank the Lord Jesus because I am almost as intelligent as my elephant.

My conscience wasn’t so clear, but when one night I woke up and saw some little devils jumping around me, I prayed to the Virgin telling her that my sins weren’t so big that it would be a case for the devil. Nevertheless, I promised her to be a better person. Thanks to the Virgin I haven’t seen any devils since. And I behave better now.

My hens laid big and delicious eggs, but even still my farm had a hard competition with others. I prayed to the Virgin of Guadalupe, and then one of my hens laid the biggest egg I’ve ever seen. It made my farm famous. Now people visit me to look at the egg and to buy my production.

The Ramirez Lopez family thanks Saint Jerome because their uncle turned out to be alive, although he scared the hell out of everybody when he awoke and rose from the coffin.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, I thank you for hearing my prayers, so now my old woman is cured. She fainted a lot. The doctor said it happened because of lack of food, and probably she had anemia. I couldn’t provide more food for her because I didn’t make enough money selling dishes. Now I’m old and can’t work. But before we lived good, and I had a cattle herd. But my sons forced me to sell it to cover their needs. We had three sons, and no one is taking care of us. All of them went to Los Angeles, California. They’ve lived there for 12 years. Sometimes they send us three postcards and some dollars. But the most important thing now is that my old woman Francisca is cured.

Braulio Bernal
Tlaxcala, 1950

My son David became a good for nothing hippy. He spent days smoking stinking cigarettes. I suspect it was marijuana. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan so that she would bring him to reason. Thanks to her he got a scholarship in the capital. Now he’s a good man.

The parents kicked out Roberto Carrasco. He had no job. He prayed to Saint Pancras and got a job as a chippendale. So he can continue his studies. He thanks for that with the retablo.

September 14, 1919, on our way to Queretaro, we were attacked by bandits. They took all our donkeys with corn. Thanks to you, Virgin of Guadalupe, they didn’t kill us.

I thank God for helping me to cure the sick animals that people bring to me. I always entrust myself to St. Anthony the Great, and thank to him I have patience to foster the sick.

Dr. Samuel Contreras
Guanajuato
January 22, 1982

It’s Anthony the Great in the caption, but Anthony from Padua on the picture.