Doña Cleo

Cleansing
Love spell
Break-up spell
Evil eye
Fortune-telling
Healing

I dedicate this retablo to the Virgin of Guadalupe. In San Jesus Choluapan, I dedicated myself to deceiving the people fishing their money out. I was a fortune-teller and I did the evil work. But most things I said were lies. One day don Teofilo tried to kill me because my prediction didn’t work out. But I prayed to the Virgin and got saved.

Cleotilda Suarez

Señor Pantalion thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe for his pig kept her piglets after an epidemic that killed all the animals in the village. He thanks because the pig didn’t get sick.

Villa del Carvon, 1958

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for meeting each other and for joining our life paths by an unforgettable wedding. Everybody whom we love and who love us were with us that day. And even a flock of doves flew in to celebrate our present and future happiness. That is a good omen.

Thank you, Virgin, you forgave me for falling so low.

After a shipwreck, I found myself on a small island. I had only a boat to fish to survive. Suddenly two beautiful mermaids appeared from the sea. They apparently were in love with me. I don’t know if it was a hallucination, my nerves or just a pleasant dream. I thank the Virgin.

Amador Ramirez
Island of Women — May 7, 1969

The fisherman Agripino from Angel, Oaxaca, and his son thank the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patroness of the fishermen, for healing his arms and giving him strength to keep fishing in open sea where he catches lutjanus fish. He saved money for a new boat. Bless the fishing with the help of the Holy Virgin.

March, 1950

Thank you Holy Virgin now I have long hair and a braid.

Señora Ana Maria Perez went to the circus, and an element got mad there. It grabbed her with its trunk and threw away. She thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe for surviving and recovering.

Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe, my Chayito celebrated her 15th birthday in the family circle. We had been afraid to not have enough money to celebrate it.

Ernestina Lopez and her family
Queretaro

I needed money quickly, and my friend told me that I could earn it right away as a prostitute. I put a provocative dress on and stayed at the corner near the cemetery. But all the clients approaching me were very strange. They all were skeletons. I was so scared. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for I got a job in a store so I don’t need to prostitute anymore.

My brother, a colorful fox and I are very happy.

November 1, I went to the bar to drown my pain. There I found myself in the middle of a party of the dead men. They were celebrating being dead. I was terrified when they invite me to drink with them. I entrusted myself to the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, and she helped me to escape. I promised to not drink alcohol anymore.

My daughter Lupita went to pick up some flowers, and she was attacked by bees. Poor child was stung and swelled up. Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe, her fever and the swells has gone.