I was watering my garden when suddenly the spaceship landed near. There were extraterrestrials coming from it. They have presents for me. They greeted me. Maybe they thought I’m a big ruler on the Earth and my dog is my prime minister. I gave them cookies and some lemonade, we talked a little bit without really understanding each other. They left the presents and go away very satisfied. I hope they won’t invade the Earth, because they gifts turned out to be very strange. I didn’t know what to do with them and put them on the fireplace mantel.

There was a legend in my town about a ghost of a villista who rode the horse on the Night of All Saints. I never believed that but that night I worked late in the mountains, and on the way back to my hut I bumped into that ghost. He told me to go with him to the Revolution. I prayed the Virgin of Zapopan, and that moment the ghost disappeared. I thank for I didn’t die of fear.

Ponciano Morales
Durango, Mexico

I was coming back from the market when a man in a black hat attacked me with an onion peeling knife. But then suddenly two dogs—not too big, but very brave indeed—jumped on him, because they don’t like people in hats. I was saved, and I thank the Holy Virgin for that.

Maria Lopez

Marta Juarez and her daughter Maria were coming back home from a dinner late evening. They met a company of happy skeletons in a dark alley. The skeletons were celebrating the Day of the Dead. Marta and maria were so frightened, they couldn’t move. They thank the Virgin of Zapopan because the skeletons didn’t notice them and passed by, chatting and laughing.

We were coming back home from the grandmother Martina. We were going through the cemetery, and a ghost appeared to us. We got scared and ran away, but the ghost followed us trying to take us to the other world. We prayed the Virgin of Zapopan, and thanks to her the ghost didn’t catch us. We were so frightened we ran all the way to our house. We dedicate this retablo to the Virgin.

I was doing laundry and fell asleep. Suddenly I was awoken by my dog barking. I opened my eyes and saw some martians trying to tie me and take me to their ship. I started screaming. The extraterrestrials got scared and ran away. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for my dog woke me up in time and, I think, even bit those martians.

I was coming back home after buying a piglet, when a devil made my horse to stumble on the rocks. That devil had been following me for days, doing his shenanigans. There were a lot of cacti in that place where my horse stumbled. But thanks to the Virgin nor the horse, nor the piglet, nor I fell into them but landed on the grass. After that accident I bought a medallion of the Virgin of Zapopan, and the furious devil had to leave me in peace.

My daughter Laura is a real beauty but when she got angry she cursed like a sailor. I was so ashamed and embarrass for her, I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan. One day my daughter was about to curse but instead there were frogs, snakes and little devils falling out of her mouth. Now she speaks rather cautiously, chasing the right words and trying to speak politely. I thank the Virgin for this miracle.

Our boat crashed into the rocks because we were listening the mermaid’s singing and watching her brushing her gorgeous hair. We almost drowned, but thanks to the Holy Virgin of Zapopan we managed to get to the shore and to save our boat with the fish. We don’t listen the mermaid’s songs ever since.

The new neighbor had an enormous and angry dog that scared my cats. I was afraid that one day it could kill one of them. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan, and thanks to her the neighbor didn’t last long and found a better house on the other side of the town. So my cats were saved from this beast.

My friend and I, both, were courting Mariana Alcantara, but she couldn’t decide whom to choose. One day she was playing on swings and accidentally hit me in the head with her leg. I was bleeding. Mariana saw my wound and was very worried about it, so she finally agreed to be my girlfriend. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for this miracle.

I thank you, Holy Virgin, for protecting my animals from a malignant virus.

Luis H., 1977

One evening I was coming back from the town and a tremendous downpour began. Suddenly, a lightning struck and scared the horses in the corral. One of them jumped over the fence going over me. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for the horse didn’t hit me, and I only got scared.

Apolonia García
Zapopan, Jalisco