I was a bandit. One day I was going to a town to do my misdeeds and stopped near a very beautiful girl. She saw that I was thirsty and she was kind to offer me some water. She didn’t know who I was, and I, as soon as I saw her, fell completely in love with her. I’m infinitely thankful to Saint Anthony of Padua for having met her. Thanks to her advices and her love I managed to amend my ways, and I’m a good man now.

Tiburcio Zamora / Zacatecas, Mexico

I give infinite thanks to Saint Anthony of Padua for sending a good woman to my life. I got married very young, but got a bad wife. She left me for another man. I became very disappointed and took refuge in my carpenter job for many years. But one beautiful day I met Carmelita and I believed in love again. We are very happy. May you be blessed.

Cayetano Aguilar \ Zacatecas, Mexico

Enedina Abascal dedicates the present retablo to Saint Anthony of Padua thanking him because she met Ponciano, the love of her life. She was a soldier, and they fought together at the times of the Revolution. When the fight was over, they could get married and were very happy.

Torreon, Coahuila

I give infinite thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan because I met a good, handsome and loving man whom I marry. We are deeply in love with each other, and our marriage will be very happy. We will live our life together and will love each other very much.

One night, after leaving work I went to a bar with my colleagues and drank nonstop. There I met a stunning woman whom I invited to a hotel. I was very excited for being able to score her. I give infinite thanks to Saint Sebastian because, although I was pretty drunk, I realized—before spending a night together—that it was a man dressed like a woman. I promise to be more careful when I’m having fun.

Adrian Gutierrez \ Tijuana, Baja California

May you be blessed, Holy Child of Atocha, for sending me Arturo. Since we met each other, I found happiness. Although I’m not a woman, he fell in love with me. And I just adore him because I fell in love with him from the first sight. I promised to offer a retablo if he agrees to be my partner. So some time after he asked me to move in with him. I make this retablo about this nice favor you made me because I’m very happy to be with Arturo.

Jose Reyes Maria
Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1960

Adriana Montiel found a wallet full of money. She managed to give it back to its owner. He was very thankful and gave her a generous reward. He even asked her out. She thanks Saint Anthony for presenting her her future husband in this way.

Arturo L. traveled to Thailand and there, in a brothel, he met the woman of his dreams. He thanks Saint James with this retablo for he managed to convince her to leave her job and come back with him.

1942, Puebla, my sister Jasinta and I were leaving after a mass and had a pleasant encounter with the painter Frida whom we admire so much. We give thanks to the Virgin of San Juan for this favor.

Maria Petra Lopez

I met Beny in Puerto Vallarta. I was captivated by him very fast. We became friends, and one day during that vacation I confess my love to him. He responded me. I thank the Lord of Oak because I asked for it very much.

July 1979

I’ve always been a romantic person, and I’ve had many disappointments in love. But now I thank saint Anthony because I met the man of my dreams. He’s also very romantic, and his feelings have been hurt as well. I think now we are going to be happy forever, he and I.

St. Jude Thaddeus, thank you for sending me happiness. One day I was walking to Cuernavaca and I wanted some cold beer. I went to a bar, and there I met Ernesto. This young man dragged my attention right away. Also I liked his mole. In short we started talking, and now we’re a couple. I won a lottery with this guy. We are madly in love.

Edgar Alvarado
Temixco, Morelos, 1965

Blessed Heart, thank you for giving us the opportunity of meeting each other, finding our happiness and living it together such as we are.

Condeza, Mexico City
May 17, 2000