I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe. A thief got into our building to steal. He tried to enter in the apartment by the roof. But he got tangled up in one of my underwear, so we managed to catch him.

July 1993
Jose Refugio Regalado
Mexico City

Señorita Francisca Cruz thanks the Virgin of Juquila, with this little humble retablo, for giving her the talent of making tehuana blouses and dresses. Locals are buying them for the traditional dances, and they are also valued among domestic and foreign tourists.

Juchitan, Oaxaca

Barbara Lopez Garcia put her new dress on to go to the town celebration to conquer Antonio Padilla’s heart. But on her way she met don Agapito’s dogs which are always angry like their owner. The dogs pulled her dress and almost tore it apart, but then Antonio came to help her and scared the dogs away. When he saw her so heartbroken, wearing the tore dress, his heart melted and he proposed to her right away. Barbara thanks the Virgin.

I was left without a job and I couldn’t pay my rent. Then I got an idea to put sexy clothes on and to flirt with my landlord to make him forgive me the payment. I didn’t count, however, that he would be with his wife that day. When she saw me, she went furious. I thank the Holy Lord of Chalma because the landlord managed to calm his wife and they didn’t kick me pit after this. I promise not to have such ideas anymore.

Silvia S. \ Campeche, Mexico

My children’s socks disappeared in a suspicious and alarming way—there was only one sock missing in every pair. I didn’t know what to do. I bought them more socks, but some time later only one sock from every pair remained. Then, one night, I heard some noises from under the bed. I looked there and I saw green demons who were responsible for the socks disappearance. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for an idea to sprinkle the holy water under the beds. Now my kids have entire pairs of socks because the demons ran away in fright.

I wanted to surprise my family so I dressed up as Santa Claus and got in the house to put the gifts around. One thing I didn’t think through is that my dog Rambo wouldn’t recognize me, attack me and chase all around the house. I thank Saint Charbel for my wife could hold the dog before he did more damage to the house and bit my rented Santa Claus costume in pieces.

Abelino Torres, Puebla

It happened in Morelia, Michoacan. When señora Ramira Lopez got out of the tram, her dress was stuck. When she was being dragged, she implored the Virgin of San Juan, and got out safely, having only her calf hurt. For such a miracle she gives infinite thanks.

1920

Moises Vargas thanks Saint Martin the Cavalryman with this retablo because his cowboy clothes shop has a great success and even Vicente Fernandez himself has bought from him.

My daughter Dolores was already 40 years old. She was the oldest of my 16 children sent me by God and my only daughter. I was very much worried that the poor thing would lose her train and stay an old maid. I put Saint Anthony of Padua head down and prayed him day and night. My daughter met a gringo named mister Maicol and they got married. Besides, she used the dress I wore at my wedding.

Maria del Socorro Lopez
Tepatitlán, Jalisco
April 15, 1963

I offer this retablo to give thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe for looking after my daughter when she stopped going out on the streets of East LA wearing the gang colors protesting over George Floyd’s death. She changed this idea after meeting neighbor kids playing soccer. She loves playing soccer with them, so she changed her clothes and stayed playing with the kids.

June 1, 2020

I’m thanking, with all my heart, the Virgin of Guadalupe for keeping our family tradition of knitting. My mother and grand-mother were weavers and they taught me since I was little girl. My serapes, huipils and rebozos are highly valued among the foreign tourists who buy them when they visit my town.

Obdulia Trejo ~ Chiapas

When I came back from mass with my daughter, my husband, full of rage, began to beat me out of jealousy telling me “Whom you’re going to see dressed up so nicely with this shawl?” He kept on beating me without any reason. Suddenly he fell back when his leg got tangled in my shawl. He stood up asking forgiveness. He said someone had pulled him back. Here I testify the miracle made for me by the Virgin of the Shawl because now my husband loves me very much.

Señora Brijida M. G.
Zapopan, Jalisco, 2012

The demon of the gluttony possessed everyone in the house. We ate without a break whatever comes to hand. We became so fat that I couldn’t get in my dresses. Then I asked Saint Paschal Baylon for a help. The saint took mercy upon us, and our voracious hunger started to decline thanks to the fact that the saint chased the demon out from our kitchen. Now we are eating much less and are losing weight.