I met a beautiful mermaid at a solitary beach. She was sitting on a rock and singing. I fervently thank Saint Raymond for granting me this great favor as she was my greatest desire, although she stunk of fish,

Acapulco, 1925

I thank Saint Raymond Nonnatus fro delivering us from yabbering Tila Maria Sesto’s gossips when she caught us, me and my buddy, watching soccer in underwear. She almost gave us stomach pain when we saw her, and we almost spoiled our underpants. She started to say that we were motherfuckers. But no, I went to my buddy’s house because he has such a big TV-device and a fan from the heat. I ordered to paint Melo Colli in gratitude.

Merida, Yucatan, 2009

Notes:
This retablo is not for wide audience. There are local Yucatan comedians Tila Maria Sesto and Melo Colli mentioned here. The caption also contains Yucatan expression such as:

He-lé — expression of negation or simply “no”.

I came to my hut slightly drunk, and my mother-in-law met me with a beating. She left me quite trashed. I fervently thank Saint Raymond, with this retablo, for that damn crone didn’t send me to the cemetery.

Puebla, 1908

When Ramira Perez was pulling water from the well, came her friend with a venomous tongue to tell her some rumors. She thanks Saint Raymond for she contained herself and didn’t throw her into the well.

Puebla, 1915

I liked my neighbor very much, and she responded me. But we were secretly seeing each other for she had a grumpy and violent father who didn’t let her to have a boyfriend. One night I climbed to her room to see her, and her father caught us by surprise with a pistol in his hand. I thank Saint Raymond for illuminating me to act like a sleep-walker. With his divine help, her father believed it, so I saved my skin.

Nepomuceno Diaz / Zacatecas, Mexico

Gustavo Lopez was having a diner with his cousin when his girlfriend, crazy of jealousy, came and stab him in his neck with a broken glass. He fervently thanks Saint Raymond with this retablo for his recovery and for that crazy broad was put behind bars.

In 1917 in Chiautempan my buddy caught me on the mat with his wife. He started to shoot at us. I give infinite thanks to Saint Raymond because bullets didn’t hit me. She took them all.

Aniseto Pantoja

My husband and I organized the New Year’s Eve party in our house. We all got drunk, and I ended up having sex with my husband’s colleague. I wholeheartedly thank Saint Raymond because my husband has never found out about it. Although I feel remorse, it was an emotional and exciting adventure.

1937, in Mexico, Juaquin Fernandez found himself in a difficult situation when he was caught under his girlfriend’s bed and taken for a thief. He entrusted himself to Saint Raymond and didn’t suffer any harm but got married instead. He gives thanks for such a unique favor.

By the medium of this exvoto, I thank Saint Raymond Nonnatus for the genius of David Cronenberg and his vision of “The Fly”. It’s one of my favorite movies and I’m always surprised by the strange beauty of this horror film.

David Romo — Mexico City

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

Everyone was gossiping about my person. I was tired of so much gossip and I prayed Saint Raymond Nonnatus and asked him for help so this would stop. He heard me and calmed everyone down. Now everyone talks with me and greats me well. Thanks to Saint Raymond.

Petronila Reyes M.
August 31

Isidoro Sanchez was sick and tired of his wife and mother-in-law treating him like a servant and commanding in his own house. That’s why he entrusted himself, with all his might and faith, to Saint Raymond so as the things would change. As he promised, he brings the present retablo giving thanks because now he’s the one in charge.

Merida, Yucatan