The girl Mayra thanks Saint Paschal for the opportunity to celebrate her 15th birthday here in Mexico with her family and brothers.

Agustina Zavaleta, faithfully devoted to Saint Paschal, brings him the present retablo in sign of gratitude for he made so the food she offered to her friend Frida on her birthday came out very delicate.

Mexico, 1938

I dedicate this retablo to the Miraculous Virgin of Guadalupe because on my 15-th birthday party, Maria Daniela and Andria performed but at the end of the song they reveled their true vampire identity. Luckily, I have my anti-vampire kit under my dress and I was able to beat them.

Karen, October 29, 2014

I thank don Diego Maradona for teaching me to enjoy soccer and the Holy Virgin of Aparecida for making me being born on 30/10, on the day of Diegito’s birthday.

October 10, 2004, I was celebrating my 15th birthday. We were all very happy and it was a blast—the cake, the toast and my dance partner who was my prince charming. With this retablo, I give thanks to Saint Alexis and to the Divine Face of God from Tlaxpana for helping me so no one noticed that I was pregnant and my parents didn’t find out until later that, besides stopping be a little girl, I also stopped being a maiden.

Silvia Yanet Rosas
Jalacingo, Veracruz, 2006

Thanks to Saint Jude Thaddeus because he made possible the election of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th President of North-American United States. To celebrate his election and the MLK birthday, I dance and sing with mariachi at the Paseo de la Reforma near the American embassy.

Gabrielle Civil, January 24, 2009

I bought a piñata for my son Beto’s birthday because he wanted it so much. I put a blindfold on his eyes and, as a joke, turned him around many times to make him dizzy. But he ended up confusing me with the piñata and began to beat me with a stick. I thank the Virgin of San Juan because his grandmother could stop him before he smashed me.

Jacinto Ruiz ~ Queretaro, Mexico

Pulqueria-bar “La Pescadora” thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe with this ex-voto for the health of all of us and our clients in the time of COVID-19, for letting us keep selling pulque, despite the adversities, and for celebrating 60 years of our pulqueman Margarito.

Mexico City, June 24, 2020

I’m a single father. After my wife died I took charge of my little Mary. She had a desire that we’d dress up as her favorite fairy princess on her birthday. But I was afraid that the guest would laugh at me. I thank Saint James the Apostle because instead of laughs I received congratulations for this act of father love.

Rafael Corona ~ Villahermosa, Tabasco

I dedicate the present retablo to Saint Anne for granting me a miracle of being able to organize my Britney Guadalupe’s 15th birthday party. It was my dream since I had no such celebration. I was selling everything: tupperware, clothes, shoes, makeup by catalog and even tamales on Sundays. But it worth to see my little girl as a princess, so happy on her special day.

Carmelita Perez \ Morelia, Michoacan

My daughter Evarista was very sad because her 15th birthday was coming and we lacked money to celebrate it. I entrusted myself to Saint Jude Thaddeus, and he helped me. The carnitas sales went very well, and I could organize a party with a big feast for the neighborhood. I thank for that.

Gaudencia Cruz

On my 60th birthday, my friends brought me a cake that I thought was real. But suddenly, I almost had a heart attack when a half naked sexy dancer came out of it. I thank Saint Charbel for this scare didn’t lead to anything serious and I wouldn’t have ended my birthday in the hospital.

Ramon del Valle
Queretaro, Mexico

I offer this retablo to Saint Rose. I decided to visit very famous lesbian tattoo artist in Tijuana to make a surprise for my husband’s birthday. But when my hubby saw my body all covered in tattoos he freaked out and kicked me out. He didn’t want to know me anymore. But the most amazing thing was that after this I came back to Tijuana and went to the lesbian artist with whom I had already started falling in love. Now we’re living and making tattoos together.