My nephew who travels a lot brought me a beautiful exotic plant. I plant it in the garden, and it grew big with my care. I’m caring for my plants, I talk with them and play the music for them. One day the plants grabbed me with its sprouts. I was scared thinking it was a carnivorous plant. But then I found out it was some sort of greeting and a demonstration of love. The plant always does so when I come near. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for this relationship because the plants gives us back the love we are giving them.

I used to read fairy tales to my son since he was very little. Now when he plays he imagines himself as a prince rescuing princesses from the claws of a terrible dragon. He’s riding his faithful white horse, and they go for strange lands in search of astonishing adventures. I thank the Virgin for blessing my son with this great imagination and fantasy.

My son Luis befriended the monkeys that were coming to our patio. He used to spend all day climbing up the trees with them and learning their skills and tricks. He refused to eat anything but fruits. But thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan he finally met other kids and eventually forgot about those damned monkeys when he began to go to the school.

When I put my daughter Rosita in a boarding school, she became a sleepwalker. She walked on the roof of the school. I was very much worried that my daughter was in such danger, so I took her back from the school. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan to cure her, and the Holy Virgin worked a miracle. My Rosita doesn’t walk in her sleep anymore. I give thanks.

Sandra Lopez, Corrales de Rios

I have four cats, and my boyfriend has five dogs. When we got married and moved together nobody wanted to leave their pets. We thank the Virgin of Zapopan for the miracle that the cats and the dogs don’t fight and there is some sort of friendship among them.

It caused me a lot of anger that the slackers of the village came to steal the fruits from my vegetable garden which I took a lot of care of. I prayed the Virgin of San Juan for solution, and then my nephew Juan gave me three very angry-looked dogs. Now I even have fun when the kids come to steal because they run away terrified when I let the dogs out. It’s a very good entertaining.

My children were great swimmers, and they love the sea. One day they escaped early and went swimming. Suddenly they were surrounded by hundreds of crabs that began to pinch them with their pincers. The children got scared and prayed the Virgin of Zapopan for protection. The Virgin made so the crabs calmed down and went to the other side. My children could get to the beach safe, just with few bruises. I thank the Virgin for protecting them.

My husband hasn’t satisfied me lately. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan so that she turn him like he was before. And on 16th april he became as before. I give thanks for that.

1948

Since my son began to read comics he got an idea that he was also a superhero. One day he tied a tablecloth around his neck and climbed the tallest tree in our garden. When I saw him ready to jump, I ran to him invoking the Virgin of Zapopan. By a miracle he landed softly on the grass, and I could swear he even flew a little bit. I made him promise me to not do such thing again, and I hope he’ll keep his word.

The Lopez Mota family, after many years of marriage, still didn’t have any children. Doña Esperanza prayed very much to the Virgin of Zapopan for the miracle of having a baby. Finally the Holy Virgin heard her prayers and blessed them with a pair of healthy twins.

When I was going to the town to sell oranges, my donkey and I fell into a pit. I couldn’t move, and I thought I would die there, at the bottom of a dark pit. I began to pray the Virgin of Zapopan, and some time later a shepherd was walking by with his goats. He heard my screams and came to save us. I thank the Virgin because nor I, nor my donkey got hurt.

We were coming back after visiting the grand-mother Ramona who lives up in the mountains, and we ran into a skunk that scared my horse so she threw off me and my baby. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because we didn’t fell on the rocks but on the ground and didn’t get hurt.

I thank the Virgin of Zapopan. When I was in a dating house with a great company, suddenly my wife came in. I wished the earth would swallow me up and asked the Virgin to cover me up with her cloak. The Virgin made the miracle, and my wife didn’t see me. I dedicate this retablo for that.

Guadalajara, 1966
Santos Gutierrez