I was fishing in my boat and was thinking how great would it be to catch something big. But it was something big that caught me instead. An enormous octopus climbed into the boat and seized me with its tentacles. I was lacking air in this fatal embrace. But then a flock of seagulls guided by a dove distracted the octopus and I got out. I pushed him out of the boat and rowed with all my might and escaped. I believe this dove was none other than Holy Spirit who came to save me. Thanks for the miracle.

Fernando Rivera had a fever and couldn’t go to the toilet, and he had to make all his things in a pottie. One time a scorpion came out of the pot and sat on the Fernando’s buttock. He prayed to the Lord of the Miracles so that the scorpion wouldn’t sting him in the ass because it could’ve worsened his condition even more. Since the Lord cured Fernando and delivered him from the scorpion, Fernando dedicates this retablo as gratitude.

Puebla, 1957

I went to the river to swim in a place where nobody comes. When I was drying myself off I saw an enormous crocodile stealthily approaching me. Surely, the beast swam up the river because I’ve never seen crocodiles here. Seeing that my life was in danger, I implored Saint Barbara asking for her protection. She gave me courage to keep my calm. I climbed up the rocks very slowly and then ran at full speed, and the crocodile stayed there with his opened mouth and without lunch. I thank for saving my life.

Antonio and his brother Carlos give thanks to the Virgin of Gudalupe for saving them from dying by being smashed by a whale that jumped out of the water near their boat when they were collecting their daily catch. They thank for that.

Los Cabos, Baja California, 1990

A giant spider used to build his web over my bed every night, and it looked me down with its devil eyes. At the mornings there was no spider. I cleaned up the web, but the next night it started all over again. Finally, after many prayers to Saint Barbara, I had a dream in which the saint pierced the spider with her sword. So the next night the spider didn’t come. I thank for that.

Valentina Suarez, November 3, 1946
Xalapa, Mexico

On my tenth pregnancy, when I brought Luisita to the world, I went mad. One day I left the house and started wandering. I walked at the streets, they called me the Cat Lady, and I lived on the benches in the Alameda park. But one day Ruperto found me, and when I saw my baby I recovered. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Rosario Peña

I give thanks to Saint Anthony the Great for having found a loyal dog who has become my real guard. I always go out to my garden to take the sun but my nosy neighbor used to look at me and pester me, and I felt insecure and uncomfortable. But now my Spike protects me.

Valentina Segura ~ Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon

I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for the favor she granted us the last summer when we were at the Caribbean. My children Renato and Mateo were swimming near the beach but suddenly they disappeared from my sight. In despair I implore the Brow-skin girl, and they managed to escape from the attack of monstrous octopuses.

Tulum, 2019

Señor Toribio Ventura born in Puebla is infinitely grateful to the Holy Virgin Mary of Guadalupe for having recovered his bulls that had been pawned so he could work on his fields. He asks you a lot to send him a good wheat harvest and the wheat did better than ever. With the gathered crop he ordered to make this retablo asking to bless his yoke and so that his seeds would never lack rain. Glory to the Holy Mother!

While I was sleeping in my bed on the night of August 25, 1962, I was attacked by a martian who came in through the window. The same time another martian entered my flat through the door. Although they destroyed my doggy Sparky, thanks to the timely intervention of the ground defense and the divine work of the Virgin of Zapopan I was unharmed.

Artemio Mendosa brings this retablo thanking the Virgin of San Juan for protecting him from the bullets of a peon and playing a dirty trick on himself instead because he was killed by a venomous viper.

Puebla, 1908

Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe who worked a miracle for us and saved us from a giant octopus who came out of the sea the other day and tried to attack me and my girlfriend Maria. Thanks, Holy Virgin.

Juan Hernandez G.

Sr. Damian gives infinite thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe because his piggy was able to keep her piglets well while there was a severe epidemic outbreak in the village killing all the animals. For this favor he brings this ex-voto.

October 17, 1980
Ixtlahuaca, Mexico