I went to the park every morning with an excuse of exercising in order to look at one pretty girl. She was exercising there. Unfortunately, one day she took her dog out. When the dog noticed me spying on her, it attacked me. I didn’t know how to escape and prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan for help. That moment the dog stopped chasing me. I thank the Virgin and promise to not spy anymore.

Carmelo Diaz
Zapopan, 1998

I was cleaning my son’s room and put all his stuff in a box. I was going to put it in the storeroom but when I opened the door dozens of bats flew out. They got all over the house. I was scared that they might drink our blood or infect us with rabies. I didn’t know what to do and I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan. Thanks to her the bats escape through the opened door at the kitchen and the windows and went into the neighbor’s house. Thanks.

In August, don Laureano Mendez was stung by a scorpion in the field. He implored the Virgin of Zapopan for her divine help, and in few days got recovered. He was back to his job as a tlachiquero—pulque gatherer. For such a great miracle, he dedicates this humble retablo.

Zapopan, Jalisco

The Carlota Valdez’ knitting threads always got tangled up. She tried to put them separately but it didn’t help, and they inexplicably resulted tangled up anyway. The same happened with the electric wires. One night Carlota went to sleep and left her knitting basket under the bed. She was awaken by some noises and saw whose fault was it. There were blue demons playing with her threads. Carlota gives thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan, because that day she put an image of the Holy Virgin in the knitting basket and the demons never came back.

My son Luis befriended the monkeys living in our patio. He used to spend all day climbing 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.

At the day of my daughter Dorita’s wedding her fiancé didn’t come, and she was completely depressed. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan to relieve my daughter’s pain so she wouldn’t suffer of the humiliation she went through. The Virgin took mercy upon her, and then we heard the wonderful news—Jose Antonio, the fiancé, had been hit by a truck and got in the hospital. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for the wedding was canceled due to this accident and not because Jose dumped my daughter.

Mario Montes was diving when he was suddenly attacked by a shark. Frightened, he prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan. Then the sea got filled with a lot of small fish and other sea creatures which were better to the shark taste. The shark got distracted, and Mario escaped. He thanks the Virgin.

June 12 was a very hot day. Gertrudis Flores took her daughters to the river to refresh. The sat near by the water, the suddenly two giant dogs come from the bushes and started growling ferociously. The girls got scared, and Gertrud’s prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan. The Virgin worked the miracle and scared the dogs away <…>

My son was sick for a long time, and I was constantly praying to the Holy Virgin to heal him. She made the miracle, and now, when I see him running happily at the field with his kite, I feel so thankful for his healing. I dedicate this retablo to the Virgin of Zapopan as my gratitude.

I was very proud of my garden. But one day it was invaded by giant snails. I don’t know how they became so big. They began to eat my plants and especially most beautiful flowers. I didn’t know what to do until the Virgin of Guadalupe enlightened me to put a salt around my garden. It scared the snails off and they didn’t come back.

My daughter Amalia was suffering of a love treason and fell ill. She was getting paler and thinner with every day, because she refused to eat. I was afraid she was dying and prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan for delivering my girl of this pain. And then, on April 2, my Amalia woke up full of life and started eating. I thank the Virgin.

Dulce Maria Castro

My son Luisito became a sleepwalker and started walking on the roofs. I was scared he might fell and kill himself. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan so he would stop walking in his sleep. The Virgin, in her infinite grace, made the miracle, and Luis doesn’t sleepwalk anymore. I give thanks.

The music is a very important to our family, and it’s with us every day. Even our animals enjoy the music, and there are more singing birds in our garden than in any other. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for all this harmony and because my children are also good musicians.