We went to spend some time in my husband’s rancho near Catemaco. The place is beautiful but little bit wild. One day my parrot—which was a gift from my husband—escaped, and I ran for him through the forest. The parrot was flying among other parrots, and I followed it carrying my baby so I was going slower and slower. Finally I caught the parrot. That moment I realized that we were lost. I was scared and asked the Virgin for help. She sent a group of monkeys. They were making a lot of noise but guided us to the house. I thank for this miracle.

It happened to señor Victorino Mejia, an ordinary man from San Martin Texmelucan, Puebla, who went to the celebration, that he drank a lot and got drunk. On his way back he laid to sleep under a tree. Some vultures came and started flying over him. He entrusted himself to the Holy Virgin of San Juan, and she scared the vultures away. Victorino dedicates the present retablo in gratitude and promises to never drink again.

1947

I infinitely thank Saint Anthony the Great with this humble retablo for the miracle of healing wounds of my rooster El Pinto. The Blue Rooster was fighting very bravely and hurt mine very bad. Few days later my rooster had to fight him again and this time he won. Now he’s a best rooster in the whole state.

Fortunato Anaya – Aguascalientes, 1954

The girl Zuzi speaks with animals. Cure her, Virgin.

My son and I were going from town to town with our donkey selling oranges. One day we decided to take a cut through the desert and got lost. The sun was going down, and we heard hungry coyotes howling. I prayed the Virgin of Zapopan, and suddenly a bird of golden light appeared from the twilight. It guided us to the road to Fresnillo. I infinitely thank for this miracle that saved our lives.

I dedicate this retablo to Saint Francis of Assisi thanking him for saving my rooster Colorado. He came badly injured from a tough fight, and I was afraid he’d die. I’m very fond of him since he was a gift from my father.

Venustiano Peña ~ Aguascalientes, Mexico

My damned crested rooster was eating my plants. I wanted to scare him off but got frightened myself instead when he almost pecked out my boy’s eyes. In despair, I implored the Virgin of the Solitude for help. Fortunately nothing bad happened. I thank for that and dedicate this.

Panchita Lopez V.
Chavinda, Michoacan, 1962

When we began to sow our peace of land, hundred of black birds flew over and started eating the seeds we’d just sowed. We were desperate and didn’t know what to do. We entrusted ourselves to the Virgin of Zapopan and she made the miracle of chasing the birds to other side. She saved our crop.

I thank the Virgin of San Juan because I managed to sell all my turkeys and to buy two pigs. Then I sold the piglets they made and bought a goat and some laying hens.

Eulalia Tepox heard a noise late at night. It was coming from a henhouse. She grabbed a pistol and went out. There she saw a horrible being—the Chupacabra—who had killed 80 of her chicken. Eulalia started shooting at it but with no result. The monster ran away. Then doña Eulalia entrusted herself to Saint John the Baptist and now thanks for delivering her from a bigger evil. She brings this as her testimony.

San Juan Cuatlancingo, Cholula, 1973

On the day of our wedding there were so many children and doves near by the church doors. It’s a good omen that means many years of happiness. We thank Saint Anthony for his blessing.

I’d never had such an abundant crop of peaches like this year. The trees were loaded with peaches, and the fruits were big as oranges. I was very proud, but then suddenly came a flock of birds. There were hundreds of them, and they began to peck my peaches. I didn’t know hot to scare them away. They were ruining my crop. Then two dogs came and started barking so loudly that the birds flew away. I’m sure it was Saint Francis who sent me these dogs and worked the miracle of saving my crop. I adopted these dogs, and they guard my garden now.

My great-grandmother is so old, she couldn’t remember how old is she. One day she asked me to let the birds that lived in her house free. They were making so her happy but she said I must to do it so the birds would open the path for her soul since she was thinking she was about to die. I freed the birds, and they flew to the sky. But later they all came back, they stayed in my great-grandmother’s garden and kept making her happy flying in the trees.