I got this great idea to propose to my Chabelita in a trajinera-boat at Xochimilco. I thought it would be very romantic. But then I got so nervous I slipped and I fell into lake. I give infinite thanks to Saint Anthony of Padua because I didn’t lose the ring—it fell inside the boat—and, despite this embarrassing moment, my fiancée said “yes” which made me very happy.

Ramiro Tellez, Mexico City

One day I went fishing in my little boat. When I pulled out the net, to my greatest surprise ever, there was a giant squid trapped in it. I’m infinitely grateful to Saint Peter for being able to pull the squid to the boat because it was very heavy and, furthermore, for managing to sell it. I became very famous among the fishermen in the region for my great feat.

Delfino Rios
Baja California Sur, Mexico

Agustin Fernandez was fishing in his boat, and a mermaid appeared to him. With great devotion, he thanks Saint Peter with this retablo for he managed to escape before falling for her charms.

It was still night when I went fishing in my boat. Suddenly I was caught by a giant octopus who grabbed me in its deadly embrace and tried to pull me out of the boat. The Virgin of Guadalupe came to help me—she sent seagulls that began to peck the octopus. The octopus let me free trying to save himself from the seagulls and went to the bottom of the sea. I thank for saving my life.

M.G. brings this retablo as gratitude to Saint Elias for getting pregnant after having sex with her partner on the river, although they were almost dragged by the current.

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because she helped us to get a whale who ran aground on sandbank back to the sea. Thanks to the Virgin we managed to drag him back on our boat which is so small.

April 3, 1967

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.

Gregorio fell from the fishing boat and hit his head. He lost his conscience, and when he regained it back he saw two mermaids pulling him in different directions—one to the top and the other to the bottom. That moment he entrusted his life to Saint Raphael the Archangel. He thanks him because the mermaid who pulled to the top won, and he got to the surface where his buddies could grab and save him. Although nobody believed in the mermaid story, he didn’t care because he stayed alive.

I thank the Virgin of the Pillar for protecting me and my fellow Miguel when we were quietly sailing and a very big boat appeared and almost ploughed into us. Luckily we survived to tell about it.

One mermaid had an idea to get into my boat. The first time, I was fascinated with her beauty, but then she began to return all my fish back to the sea. I didn’t like that, I was working hard to catch all this fish, and the mermaid was undoing my work. I prayed the Virgin because it didn’t matter if I changed my way, the mermaid always found me. Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe the mermaid finally left me and went to bother Carlos Medina who had a bigger boat than mine and used to catch more fish.

The boat with me and my dog was carried away by the storm. I lost my oars, so we were left drifting. I almost lost the hope of surviving when Saint Barbara appeared as a giant wave. She threw us to the shore, and we arrived safely. I thank for that.

I thank Saint Quiteria of Frexeiras for saving my son and me from shipwrecking when we went fishing in the open sea.

02/02/09
João Caetano da Silva
Itamaraca, PE

We went fishing at dawn. Suddenly we heard laughs and music. Then we saw a boat on which a lot of skeletons were celebrating the Day of the Dead. They called us to join their party. We prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe, and thanks to her a strong wave took us away from them. We managed to come back home safe and sound.