When I was coming back from the market I saw two dogs cornered two cats in an alley. The dogs were barking and grunting ferociously. The poor cats had no way to run. I came quickly, grab the cats and ran away. The dogs went after us, but thanks to Saint Quiteria I was able to run into the church before we were attacked. With the saint’s help I saved the cats, and I dedicate her this retablo.

On the day of Gilberto’s and mine wedding I ask the Virgin of Guadalupe for a sign that our marriage would be happy. When we went out of the church a lot of doves flew to us. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for this sign and for our present and future happiness.

My daughter Rosa and I went to a mass, and the soul of my girl’s godmother appeared to us. The ghost asked us to pray for her. We were scared and ran to the church, where I ordered two requiem masses to the priest. We also prayed a novena. I thank the Virgin of San Juan because my friend’s soul has rested in peace.

After many years of relationships Heliodoro finally proposed to me. However, on the day of the wedding he changed his mind. Only thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan who whispered me about his runaway, I managed to catch him in time and brought him back to the church. We got married and now we are happy.

I had some doubts about marrying Arturo. I asked the Virgin to give me a sign, if I shouldn’t marry him. At the day of the wedding, when we were already in the church as a serious earthquake began. I figured it was a sign form the heaven to not marry Arturo. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for saving me from an unhappy marriage.

After leaving the town few years ago, when his bride had died on the way to the church, Roberto Mendival came back, full of memories. Since it was the Day of the Dead, he went to put some flowers on his late beloved one’s grave. He stayed over there till dark, reflecting about how it all could have gone different. Suddenly he heard some noise. He saw the dead men leaving their graves. And his bride Clara, who had turned into a skeleton, was among them. She saw her groom and hugged him. Other skeletons prepared everything for a wedding and were looking for a dead priest to conduct the ceremony. Although Roberto had feelings for his bride, he wasn’t into marrying the dead woman at all. He prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan, and the Virgin hastened the hour of the dawn. With the cockcrowing, the dead men rushed to their graves, and Roberto didn’t have to link his life with a skeleton. He thanks for that.

Rosita and Antonia ran across each other when they came out the market. They talked about the handsome boys of the town. Suddenly two skeletons appeared from the abandon house that the girls were standing near by. The skeletons began to flirt with them and to pay compliments. They asked the girls for a date, and the scared girls prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan for saving them. They ran and hid in the church. Afterwards, the sexton, don Abundio, accompanied them to their house. They thank for that.

On the Day of the Dead, the Martinez sisters were coming back from the market and met two skeletons who were celebrating their feast. The sisters ran to the church and prayed for the rest of the souls of the departed. The sisters thank the Virgin of San Juan because after they fulfilled this commitment they arrived home in time to prepare lunch for their husbands.

I had a lot of suitors who ordered serenades for me. Roberto Rodriguez was a mariachi who always performed for me. More he sang more he fell in love with me. And so did I with him. We got married. When we came out of the church, we felt so happy, we started to run. The musicians tried to follow us, but they couldn’t play running. It was so funny. We thank the Blessed Sacrament for a happy wedding.

Odilia Coyotl used to sell tamales near by the Church of St. Macarius, and she fell in love with a priest. Some time later he left the church, they got married, and now they even have kids. They thank the Holy Death for all the favors and promise to visit her altar for five years.

My parents forced me to marry a rich landowner whom I didn’t love. However on the day of the wedding, Jesus Lopez, whom I always loved, came back to the town. He abducted me right in front of the church and took me on his horse. I thank the Blessed Sacrament because we’ll be happy now.

We thank Saint Anthony for the miracle that we finally, after a lot of struggles, managed to got married in the church what was our biggest dream.

Fernando & Alex
Mexico, 1975