Maria Juaquina Jimenez thanks the Holy Child of Atocha with this retablo for he made so she finally met the painter Frida in person and got her autograph.

Mexico, 1945

1939, my wife got pregnant and I had no job at the time. So I became a shoeshiner and that way I met Frida, the artist. Having found out about my problem, she helped me. My wife gave birth to the baby, and I’m infinitely thankful for this to the Virgin of San Juan and to Frida.

Mexico City

Anselma Zavaleta went for a few days to the port of Veracruz. She met her most favorite painter by the name of Frida Kahlo over there. They became friends, and she thanks Saint Charbel for that with the present retablo.

Mexico, 1951

Because of a bad fight she had had with her husband, the painter Frida was feeling weighed down. I prayed the Virgin of the Solitude, and the painter got better. She found herself happy playing with her pets, and I thank for that.

Alicia Ruiz
Mexico, 1945

I spent months looking for a job and finally I found one—as an art model for painters. I liked to see how they were shaping my image with their brushes. But there was a problem. I felt chilly and froze for being naked without moving for hours. Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe I found another job—in dry cleaning. Now I’m happy because it’s always warm there.

1944, my friend, the artist Frida, was in poor health. I prayed to the Holy Child of Atocha, and my friend got better. Now she’s very happy, and I made this retablo thanking for it.

Mexico, 1944

I thank the Virgin of Mercy for inviting famous modern art collectors to my studio. They took all my sculpture to a gallery in Hermosillo, although they still haven’t paid me a dime.

Leon, May 1963

Señorita R. found a job as an art model for one artist. Thanks to these earnings she managed to get back to her studies again. She brings this retablo to Saint Raymond thanking him for granting her this favor.

December 23, finding myself in doubt about continuing my career as an artist, I decided to make a video with one of my performances. I asked the Virgin for the video being successful so I’d have more confidence. The video had more than 50.000 views, and I was very happy. Thank you, Virgin. I love you.

Intton Godelg

An artist Gaudensio Ponce made a full-nude image of a wrestler’s wife. He thanks Saint Pancras for the wrestler liked his work and didn’t beat Gaudensio.

Sophie Jones, an American, went to Puebla, and one evening she met Valentin Enriquez, who was painting in the Artist neighborhood. Sophie thanks Saint Anthony of Padua because Valentin turned out to be the love of her life. Sophie married him and stayed with him in this beautiful country.

Puebla, 1982

Rafael Soriano dedicates this retablo to the Virgin of San Juan in gratitude for earning good money making portraits with crayon during the holidays.