1939, Rancho de la Rosa, Puebla, my son and his horse fell, and he badly injured his hip bones. He thanks Saint Pancras that the artist Frida came and helped to cover the expenses of his treatment.

My children are pretty good swimmers, and sometimes they go swimming far from the shore. One time they found themselves surrounded by octopuses. They grabbed them with its tentacles and pulled them. The children got frightened, but since I always entrust them to the Virgin of San Juan, she protected them. Instead of pulling my kids to the sea, the octopuses pulled them towards the shore like dolphins. I give thanks for the miracle.

I have no idea how corn devils came to my kitchen. They began to cause mischief, they broke plates and pans, spilled the oil and even overflowed the fire of the stove putting us in a danger. We prayed to San Pascual Baylon for help, and the saint sent us a beautiful black cat. As the devils are afraid of cats, they ran away when they saw it. Now the cat lives in the kitchen, and the devils won’t approach it anymore.

I saw the dogs attacking a lady. I wanted to run and defend her but then I saw that it was the Death himself. I thank the Virgin for protecting me so that the skeleton didn’t take me.

May 2, 1953

All the kids turned into animals. Thanks to the Virgin they came back to their normal state.

We offer this retablo thanking Saint Francis for the miracle of finding that spoiled bull of our master so we won’t be kicked out of the hacienda. We are very grateful.

Julia and her son Bernave, 1949

My husband got a job in Veracruz, and we moved to live in a wild place full of various animals and rattlesnakes. But the worst were the monkeys. When they came down from the trees to drink water they stole laundry. I was desperate. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because my husband got another job and we moved back to the civilization.

My son David was flying his kite, and dogs that seemed rabid bit him. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for the dogs weren’t rabid and David didn’t have to go through vaccine shots.

Atotonilco
September 19, 1961

Graciela Beltran went to visit her aunt. When she got back two days later she found out that her house was invaded by lizards, snakes and even an iguana. The reptiles were walking freely around the sitting-room, kitchen, bedroom, they were sitting in the bathroom, some of them even got in her bed. Graciela was in despair and had no idea how to get rid of those creatures. When she threw one of them out, more of these crawled back to her house. She implored the Virgin of Zapopan, and the Virgin got rid of them very quickly. Who knows where she led them, but they were gone and left the house.

I was losing my mind because of the noise made by the cats that came to visit the three female cats of my neighbor. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because thanks to my prayers the neighbor moved out and now I sleep well.

Elenita Ramirez was playing throwing the cat by its tail until the cat got fed up with this and scratched and bit her. She thanks the Holy Child of Atocha with this retablo because her injuries have been healed. She promises to stop being such a mean person.

Carmen Fernandez received a kitten as a gift. But the kitten didn’t like her and always scratched a lot. She prayed to Saint Charbel, and now the kitten behaves better. Carmen thanks for that and dedicates the retablo.

Bernardo Martinez worked cleaning drainages, and one day he was attacked by many rats causing him rabies. Bernardo prayed to Saint James and miraculously got cured. He infinitely thanks for that with this retablo.