Every January 17, I ask my new pupils to bring their pets to the class. Usually there are cats, dogs or some turtle, rat or parakeet. But this year one boy brought a crocodile. I thank the Virgin of San Juan for the animal didn’t attack anybody and the boy’s father took him away as soon as I called him. I grounded the boy for one week for being careless.

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.

I thank Saint Michael the Archangel with the present retablo for I won the prize and the first place at the town rodeo when I tamed a very angry bull that was famous for throwing everyone who tried to ride him.

Felipe Castillo ~ Tamazula, Durango

My house had been invaded by bats. I was afraid they would suck my blood but got no success of scaring them out. Every night they flew around the house driving my cat and fog mad and depriving me of sleep. I prayed Saint Quiteria asking her for help, and the saint appeared as a bright light that scared the bats away, so they flew out the window and never came back. I thank the saint with this retablo for delivering me from this plague.

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.

Virgin of San Juan, the clown Poco-Loco (“Slightly Crazy”) wants to thank you for the triumph of his show and because his elephant that was dying is alright now.

Mexico City, November 2, 2000

A being from another world lived on my bull. Thanks for it didn’t hurt him.

Because of strong winds and rains our corral collapsed. We had to move the animals to the house, and my husband was so lazy, he didn’t repair the corral. I couldn’t stand the animals at every corner of the house. Finally the Holy Virgin made a miracle. Once my husband woke up kissing a pig thinking it was me. This made him repair the corral. I give infinite thanks for that.

One day I bought a very strange plant at a garage sale. The plant grew very fast, and I noticed there were less flies in my house since I’d got it. I thought it was the plant’s odor that scared them off. But one day I was watering the plant, and it suddenly grabbed my cat. It even started to tangle me up. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because I was able to get free from the sprouts and to liberate my cat as well. I’d better plant just geraniums. They are harmless and immune to pests.

We thank Saint Anthony. Although the goat was very stubborn and the piglet wouldn’t walk so we had to carry him, we were able to bring them to the Blessing of Animals.

I thank for I didn’t go crazy when my piglet asked me to feed him chicken and eggs.

When my daughter and my grand-daughter came to live with me I was very happy because my cats had been my only company. But my grand-daughter was afraid of the cats. She was crying when they approached her, and I had no idea what to do. I prayed the Holy Spirit for help, and little by little my grand-daughter got used to them. Now she loves them, she looks for them to pet and even sleeps with them. I thank for this miracle.

I went to swim into the sea and right away I felt something was holding me. Then I saw a big octopus. It caught me with its tentacles and pulled me down to the bottom. I started to panic, I was thinking I was going to die in the tentacles instead of marrying a handsome young man and living a happy life. I started to pray to the Virgin of San Juan, and thanks to her the octopus got distracted with some fish passing by and I could escape. I swam to the surface and I was safe. Now I only have to wait when a handsome guy comes to my life.