I was coming back from the Xochimilco market in my boat feeling very happy because I had bought at a very good price five beautiful piglets to start breeding pigs with. My boat was old and quite damaged, so it started drowning because of the big weight. My piglets and I started drowning also. Thanks to the miracle of the Virgin of Zapopan—whom I’m very devoted to—we managed to float until we were saved by a tourist trajinera-boat. Although I lost my boat, I’m grateful that we are still alive and didn’t drown.

1914, I was caught in a storm on my way to Puebla. I was riding my horse near a tree, and a lighting hit it right over my head. The tree got on fire. I thank the Virgin of San Juan with this retablo for I didn’t get burn alive.

The stripper Eugenia Robledo got her hair on fire during a magic act. She thanks Saint Rita with this retablo for her injures have been healed and there are no marks left.

The other day, I was working at the construction site, and a very beautiful girl was passing by. I couldn’t resist and made some flirtatious compliments to her. My bad luck, I didn’t notice the cement dropping out of my cart and felling right on the engineer. I thank Saint Martin the Cavalryman because the engineer turned out to be a good man. He didn’t kick me out and saw the whole situation with humor. I promise to not flirt in working hours.

Nabor Rodriguez \ Puebla

Roberto Garcia came home pretty drunk. He took a brazier for a chair and burned his buttocks. He thanks the Lord of the Wonders with this retablo for healing them up.

I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for not losing my eye and going blind when I was gathering prickly pears and one fell down in my eye hitting me with thorns.

Timoteo Hernandez Lopez
July 16, 1968, Torreon

My husband and I were riding to the La Aurora ranch to show her new grandson to my mother-in-law, doña Eulalia. On our way the clouds darkened the sky, and the thunderstorm began. Suddenly a lighting hit a tree just in front of us. We thank the Holy Virgin of Zapopan for protecting us. The lightning didn’t hurt us and only burnt my husband’s eyelashes. The baby got scared, but we arrived to La Aurora safe and sound.

I was hanging my laundry on when my daughter went to the river and was taken by the current. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because a dog appeared from nowhere and brought my daughter to the shore. After that the dog ran away. I know that dog was an angel sent by the Virgin to save my daughter.

When I fell overboard, I was saved by a dolphin. Thanks.

April 1969

I thank Saint Quiteria of Frexeiras for the miracle that I didn’t drown and she saved me when I fell in a pond on the farm.

Virgina Quiteria da S. Maia
Santa Brigida, Bahia

At a Christmas party, when one girl was about to break piñata but hit Adalberto Duran in the head instead. She smashed his face, and his mother was very scared seeing his son covered in blood. She prayed the Virgin of Zapopan so that her son wouldn’t became stupid after such a blow and wouldn’t lose his mind. The Virgin heard her prayers, and Adalberto got better very soon. He feels alright now.

Alejandro S. was getting married and felt sick during the reception and fell on the cake. He gives thanks to Saint Jude with this retablo because his fiancée was understanding although she laughed at him afterwards.

I went for a walk with my two suitors. I stumbled and accidentally fell into the river. The suitors ran to help me but since they both wanted to be a hero they pulled me in different directions. Finally, thanks to the miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe I managed to get out by myself and didn’t drown. Then I decided to not go out with any of these idiots.