A giant crocodile came out of the river. Thanks for the herons calmed him down and he didn’t do any harm.

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

In one eruption he unites birth and death. He is not man, he is not a god either. He is not me, he’s more than me, his belly is the labyrinth in which I find myself, being him. That is a monster. — Andre Masson

We stood terrified, staring at the devil dog with a man’s face. We froze for only a moment before we took off running, screaming and arms flailing back to the safety of my best friend’s home. His mother had warned us not to go out after dark, but we thought she was just a crazy bruja (not an evil one, more the healer type) and of course we didn’t heed her. She had an excessive need to protect her children from Evil. For this reason she seemed to invite it. Upon reading her home we exclaimed what we had seen. Immediately she made us kneel as she prayed fervently to St. Michael for his protection and she blessed us with holy water. I thank him for saving us but we couldn’t be consoled.

1983 — Ruben Urrea Moreno

My pig was abducted by extraterrestrials. They kept it for three days. Thanks for it came back safely.

I took my children to visit my grandmother who lived far away from the village. Night caught us on our way back, and I decided to take a shortcut through the forest near the river. There hundreds of bats came on us beclouding the Moon and we were very frightened. I was scared the bats would bite my children and suck their blood. I prayed the Virgin of the Rosary, and she protected us till we got home. I thank for her protection.

One night my cat Kika ran away and stayed away for three days and three nights. I thank God, Virgin of the Immaculate Conception and Saint Francis of Assisi for helping me and bringing Kika back home.

Mariza Aparecida de Medeiros
Recife, Pernambucano, 13/03/20

I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for having sent me the warning about a hailstorm coming. Having this presentiment, I had time to put all my animals inside the house. Otherwise, they would have suffered and got sick outside. Together we passed a calm night, warm and safe.

Our mule had always been very docile. But one day when we needed to get to San Martin earlier to take the better place to sell our flowers it got stubborn and refused to walk. More we pushed him, more he resisted. Then we asked Saint Francis for help. And he must have whispered something into the mule’s ear because suddenly the mule shook his ears and started walking. We managed to take place near the church and sold all our flowers. We thank for this miracle.

I took my piglets to the river to wash them because they stunk very much. Suddenly a strong current came from the mountain and took us down the river to the waterfall. I thank Saint Francis who protected us so we didn’t get hurt falling on the rocks nor drowned. We managed to get out to the bank safe and sound.

I saved my piglet with your help, Holy Heart.

Vicente Castillo dedicates the present retablo to Saint Martha in gratitude for his son Renato managed to shoot his fist deer. Hunting is their family tradition, and he’s very proud of his son.

Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas

Saint Sebastian, I dedicate you this [retablo] because my doggies El Canelo and La Negra (Cinnamon and Blackie) saved me from being stabbed by don Pedro’s son who got drunk and found out that I’m not a woman. I’m thankful for this miracle and ask you to look after my doggies, don’t let nothing happen to them.

Sergio-Paola
Mexico City, June 12, 2012

The animals from our farm went sad and lost their appetite. We didn’t know what happened with them. They stopped eating, and we were scared they would die. So we entrusted them to the Holy Child of Atocha who miraculously intervened, and the animals recovered and look better than ever. The hens lay many eggs, the cow gives much more milk, and the piglets look fatter. We give thanks.