The little boy, Carlos Mendes, got in his father’s bar cabinet. He got thirsty and he drank one bottle. He got awfully drunk. His father give thanks because Carlos didn’t die after all although he vomited a lot.

When Estela and I were going to church we heard a strange buzzing noise. We turned the corner and we saw a light behind us and after that blue balls with eyes and feelers came out from a ship. They followed us. We ran to the church, filled with horror. We thank the Virgin of San Juan because those balls were moving slowly and they couldn’t catch us. Now we choose a longer way when we go to the church or to the market. But they say walking is good for health and it is an exercise for legs.

The Martinez twins found the pirate treasure in the bottom of the sea. Their family decided to divide it among all the inhabitants of the fishing village so that they could buy boats and everything they needed. The villagers give thanks to the Virgin de San Juan for the generosity of the Martinez family.

Rosalinda Moreno was hit by a car when she was going out of the school. She was hit pretty bad and was taken to the hospital. Her mother, señora Elena, gives thanks to the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos because her daughter’s injuries weren’t too serious.

Julio Mendoza was a sleep-walker and he was kept locked up to ensure that he wouldn’t harm himself. Because nothing was helping him he prayed to the Virgin of San Juan. And he was cured after. He dedicates this retablo to the Virgin thanking her.

We went to the town to sell our animals. On our way a big eagle appeared to us. It wanted to eat our animals. So we asked the Virgin of San Juan for protection and for her intervention right away. The Virgin made us this favor. She scared the bird away, and then we arrived to the town and sold the animals on the market. And on our way back home we didn’t meet the eagle either.

At her saint’s day party Teresa Martine and her sister got acquainted with two handsome and formal men. Now they have become their fiancées. They thank the Virgin of San Juan for that.

My little sons were swimming in the river when suddenly came a giant toothy crocodile. I thank the Virgin because only by her infinite mercy the animal did nothing to them and I managed to get them out the river.

The kitchen was filled with bats. I was afraid that they were vampires and they would suck our blood. I prayed to the Virgin of San Juan for protection. Thanks to her these animals finally left our house. Although I think they bit our dog, thanks to the Holy Virgin it didn’t get rabies, nor did become a vampire-dog.

I thank the Virgin of San Juan for sending me a man who took me out of prostitution and proposed me. Now I’m very happy with him. May you be blessed.

Sofia Izquierdo Ruiz
Guadalajara, 1955

I was driving a bus when the brakes broke down. The bus was going to fall of the cliff, but thanks to the Virgin of San Juan I hit a tree, that kept the bus from falling. I dedicate the retablo for that.

Señor Jose Nicolas Mendes thanks the Virgin of San Juan, because he worked hard and was capable to pay for his wife’s breast augmentation surgery. Now he has a spectacular private life.

My twins sons are restless children. July 3, they ran from me and went riding the Jose Padilla’s red horse. It was a stubborn animal and it threw the children in a place full of rocks. I thank the Virgin, because miraculously my sons didn’t fall on the rocks.