May you be blessed, my God and my Virgin of Guadalupe. One night I couldn’t sleep because I felt the presence of the famous Weeping Woman. I was so scared, and my husband, Amador Ramirez, was calmly sleeping and didn’t help me. I start praying, and suddenly I felt how instead of a fear, a peace came to my heart. Nothing bad happened to me.

Rosa Maria Lopez
Ranch Alegre, Jalisco, Mexico
November 2, 1966

The Weeping Woman is a legendary Mexican character, a ghost of a mother weeping about her dead children.

A horse was passing by at nights, flashing fire from the hooves. Thanks for nothing happened in the village.

Tuitepec, 1970

I was washing my little son Toñito. I went for a towel, and when I came back I saw my son frothing at his mouth. I thought he was scared, but then I saw that he had eaten the soap. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for he wasn’t intoxicated and didn’t choke with the soap.

I dedicate this retablo to the Virgin of San Juan for helping me to come back from USA with some dollars, so I could get married and buy my truck and work on my land.

Jasinto
November 15, 1959
Jalisco

My donkey Jasinto and I became to old, so nobody gave us job anymore. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan for not letting us die from hunger. When we were at the hills we found some apricot trees loaded down with fruits. We took some to sell at the town market. We were coming back every week to gather more apricots, and it seemed that they were not coming to an end. Quite the contrary, there were even more apricots. I even left some fruits to myself, in case that one day we might run out of fruits. We thank the Virgin for these wonderful trees.

Gregorio Andrade and Patricia R. enjoyed having sex in the convertible. But one day they were caught by police and got arrested. They thank Saint Patrick because the punishment wasn’t very severe and they promise to amend their ways.

My little son fell sick of pneumonia. But the doctor told me that he’d survive, because I kept the cradle in the warm kitchen. I entrusted my son to Saint Paschal Baylon, and the next day he got better. I thank for that with the retablo.

Tired from constant abuses and humiliation from the owners of the weaving factories in Rio Blanco, who, felt protected by the regime of don Porfirio Diaz, had forced us to slave labour for a scanty pittance, we went on strike for our rights to dignity and justice. Not far away from the factory, we were caught and repressed. They started to chase and catch us. On that tragic day, January 7, 1907, hundreds of our workers companions, with the wives and the children, were murdered on the streets of Orisaba, Veracruz, by the three cavalry battalions commanded by the general Rosalio Martinez. I give thanks to the Lord of Sacromonte because I managed to escape and hide myself in Amecameca, Puebla, from where I thank you now.

1910

I thank the Virgin for the amazing patent leather boots I found at the Salvation Army Thrift Store.

Ines Meneses neglected her kittens, and they went playing with the mole she had prepared. She thanks Saint Paschal Baylon, for she managed to prepare another one in time.

Al palomo del Comalito / To the dove of the griddle

I dedicate this retablo to the Virgin of the Rosary. At the feast of Xilonen for the holy shubaa (?) of my town Miahuatlan, field of corn ears, I, as a grinder, found myself in a difficult situation. My head and my arms were in pain. I asked the Virgin to set me for this job that I’m humbly doing. I asked to give me strength so I could prepare tortillas and sell them to the people who wanted to buy my tortillas. I thank the Virgin for I’m back to work after long illness and many disappointments in my life. I offer my retablo with all my devotion.

Miahuatlan de Porfirio Dias
July 1963

A very beautiful deer lived not far away from our house. Sometimes he came closer to me and I gave it some food. One day I heard that some hunters arrived and they wanted the deer as a trophy. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for I was able to arrive to the deer before the hunters. I scared it away, so it ran far enough and the hunters didn’t find him.