We ask Holy Death to return well after crossing the Arizona desert and delivering the coke to get some dollars for our families in Sonora.

Mexico, Sep. 2017, The Walker

I, Angelica, pay with this ex-voto to the Holy Face of God giving him many thanks for he gave me strength to withstand severe frosts that happen here in Wisconsin. I’m from Mexico and it’s never so cold over there.

Angelica Contreras — Wisconsin, July 2020

Virgin of Guadalupe, we thank you for letting us arrive well to the United States after crossing Arizona desert and for being able to find job. We’ve just get married and we ask you to give us your blessing.

Guadalupe and Ricardo, absent children
Mexico City, March 13, 2009

I thank Jesus for having invented Tinder. Since then I found a way to be invited to eat out at good restaurants every day.

Vicky C.
USA, 2009

My son Manuel went to New York few years ago looking for a job. After much struggle, he managed to open his own small taco shop. But few weeks ago he got sick with coronavirus. I thank Saint Jude Thaddeus with this exvoto because he’s already recovered and got out from the hospital. I beg for the health of the Mexican fellow countryman who are infected and are suffering so far from their land and their families.

2020

I thank Jesus Malverde for I’ve managed to cross into the United States without being seen by the immigration police. I ask to find a good job to transfer to my family.

Donato Casas Maldonado
Morelia, Michoacan, 1972

Thanks to Saint Patrick for letting us win over the terrible “Yankees” and go to the World series.

St. Botolph — New York
21 / Oct / 2004

Thanks to Saint Patrick for letting us win over the terrible “Yankees” and go to the World series.

St. Botolph — New York
21 / Oct / 2004

My family and I crossed over into Arizona to meet up with my husband in Phoenix where he lived and worked. We ran out of water in one day and stopped at some ruins near Arivaca to rest. We were very sick from dehydration. Suddenly an old truck appeared out of nowhere. A man with blue eyes got out and gave us some water jugs and plastic bags of food. He told us the best road to take to Tucson and where to find help in our journey. I thank Saint Toribio for helping us survive our journey.

We were very much worried because my wife Rebecca who was pregnant felt pain in her belly. We wholeheartedly thank Saint Raymond Nonnatus because after four weeks in the hospital, despite being born a month earlier, our little Charlie Benjamin Ruedin was healthy, happy and beautiful, and everything went very well.

Joshua Ruedin — 14/Sep/2015 — Austin, Texas — USA

I offer this retablo to give thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe for looking after my daughter when she stopped going out on the streets of East LA wearing the gang colors protesting over George Floyd’s death. She changed this idea after meeting neighbor kids playing soccer. She loves playing soccer with them, so she changed her clothes and stayed playing with the kids.

June 1, 2020

To the Holy Virgin of San Juan, I dedicate this retablo thanking for protecting me from the immigration police when they were running after me. I entrusted myself to her and was able to get to Rio Bravo, hide myself and cross it. With her blessing, I came to California and got a job. I saved good money and opened my tacos shop here in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco.

Your devoted Isidro O.
June 17, 1990

We felt horror and anxiety of dying suffocating because of lack of air and terrible heat, locked up inside the trailer for more than four hours from Laredo to San Antonio, Texas. We made two holes with a knife to breathe a little bit because there were 70 of us, immigrants going to the United States in search of job. I thank the Virgin of San Juan because I managed to arrived alive to the destination. I pray for those who didn’t—let they rest in peace.

Immigrant, August 2017