Delfina Rosas dedicates this retablo to the Virgin of the Solitude thanking her for fulfilling her dream—to participate in the celebrations of the Guelaguetza this year. It’s so exciting to be a part of such an important and beautiful Oaxacan tradition.

Oaxaca, Mexico

I give you my thanks, Virgin of the Solitude. Thanks to your mercy I was saved. I fell while surfing. I was covered by the big wave and lost my conscious. But thanks to the Virgin’s miracle I was saved in time and I avoided terrible consequences.

Augusto Peña Aragon
Zicatela, Oaxaca, August 10, 1969

Rogaciano and his wife Maria Lopez dedicate this little humble retablo to Saint Isidor Laborer in eternal gratitude for their lands are very generous and their corn harvest are very good, with big and tasty corncobs.

Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico

My son Pascual was a troublemaker and spent all his time fighting in the canteen for pure nonsense. I worried that one day he might be seriously hurt, so I entrusted him to the Virgin of the Solitude. Little by little he changed his attitude and now he’s a more peaceful man. Bless you.

Socorro López \ Oaxaca, México

November 2, Basilio and Eladio Perez went to the cemetery to drink and met one mister who sat on a grave. He wanted to give them a chest full of gold so they would keep enjoying their sin, but suddenly the brothers realized it was a skeleton who spoke with them. They thank Saint James the Apostle for they managed to escape safe and sound. They promise to cut down on booze and respect the dead.

Oaxaca, 1950

I bring this retablo as my eternal gratitude to the Virgin of the Solitude for helping me to overcome this sin, because before I spent my life and my health on drinking all days long in bars and canteens. But now I’m sober and even got a job.

Luciano Mendoza \ Oaxaca

I thank Saint Maroun with the present retablo because no one found out about my big secret I’ve been keeping for years. When I just got married I had an affair with a young milkman and got pregnant from him. I managed to fool my husband and all family explaining that my boy was born with red hair because of my great-aunt, so nobody found out about my infidelity.

Eduviges R. ~ Oaxaca

I dedicate this retablo in gratitude to Saint Benedict for giving me courage to decide to inject hormones. And now I have very soft skin, nice tits and very sweet voice so I could conquer all guys in Oaxaca.

Ricardo Arriola went fishing in the open sea with his buddy Eliseo. They were preparing to come back when suddenly a ship in form of flying saucer came out of the water. That moment they prayed the Virgin of Juquila, and it saved them from the danger. They dedicate this retablo.

Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, February 1970

With great devotion, the foreman Catalino Flores and his fellows from the construction thank the Lord of Chalma with this retablo for helping them to get save till the Holy Cross Day and celebrate it with a big feast, and also for protecting and helping them and always giving them work.

Oaxaca, Mexico

My husband and I were going through a marriage crisis. We even went to the family therapy but it didn’t work. I didn’t want to divorce him but I didn’t know what to do. I’m infinitely grateful to Saint Anthony of Padua for blessing me with an idea to invite my husband to the Zipolite nudist beach for a week-end. Thanks to this trip the flame of our love was revived, and now we love each other as much as when we were newlyweds.

Diana R.
Zipolite, Oaxaca

I bring this retablo to the Virgin of Juquila thanking her for my son Euastaquio finally straightened his life up and found a job. He was already 35 years old, and he was doing nothing. I couldn’t support him any longer.

Candida Rosas, Oaxaca

I’m happy and thank you, Virgin of Juquila, because I won the surfing competition in Puerto Escondido.

Tomy Lee