Since I lived in my grand-mommy’s house, whenever I had a girlfriend and invited her to the house, my grand-mommy would kick her out because she wouldn’t let me have girls until she decided so. In my 25, she treated me like a boy. I give thanks to the Holy Child of Atocha for I finally began to live alone and finally can live my life freely.

Brayan Perez, Puebla

I, Dmytro Kuzovkin, thank Higher Forces because when I was late for a date suddenly my good buddy came on his car and drove me on his wheels so I didn’t get late! Thanks to this I enjoyed company of a beautiful woman. My gratitude is so great that I asked the retablero to make the symbol of the Higher Forces bigger and brighter.

I thank Jesus for having invented Tinder. Since then I found a way to be invited to eat out at good restaurants every day.

Vicky C.
USA, 2009

Some thieves got in the doña Luz Rodriguez’ house while she was away on a trip. Thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan the gendarme Romualdo Castro had fixed a date with his girlfriend one hour before his shift right on the corner. Thanks to that he was present when the thieves were escaping from the balcony. He managed to catch and arrest them very cunningly. Doña Luz thanks and prays for those in blue uniforms who give the security.

La Conchita, 1960

My boyfriend Jasinto and I were secretly seeing each other by the river for our lovemaking because my daddy didn’t let me have a boyfriend. But the other day, while we were making out, we saw someone passing by. I thank the Holy Lord of Chalma for it was only my grandfather who cannot see very well, so he didn’t notice us. Otherwise, things with my family would have gone very terrible for me.

Lupita R. ~ Morelia, Michoacan

My daughter was a young beautiful girl, and she had many suitors. The bad part was that she was a magnet for the most weird characters in the world. My husband and I looked at all those types who visited my daughter with horror to such degree that when our neighbor’s son began to date her we welcomed him with great enthusiasm, in spite that we always thought he was slightly dumb. We thank because the weird guys don’t come to our house anymore.

I loved to date many women at the same time. But one of them remained very hurt and did a witchcraft on me so I couldn’t perform in bed. I prayed to Saint Benedict to help me break this bad spell. Thanks to his divine intervention I was back to be the same man as I’d had before. I promise him not to play with ladies’ feelings anymore.

Augusto Ruiz — Saltillo, Coahuila

I love enjoying the life and my youth. That’s why I use my beauty to date three men at the same time. I thank Saint Catherine, with this retablo, because not one of them knows about this, so I can keep enjoying gifts and pamper they give me.

Erika N.

When Lisa started dating a doctor of sciences, she was very concerned about his obvious intellectual superiority. But then it turned out that he likes to play the hare and the hunter in bed, and it quickly harmonized their relationship. Lisa is grateful to the universe for the fact that all people are born equal, free, and a little bit fucked-up.

My father didn’t like that I had a boyfriend, so Alejandro and I had to meet secretly. One night we were at the cemetery where no one could see us. We were sitting on a grave and talking when we heard a music. We saw the dead leaving their graves and having a party. They played instruments and danced. We were very much frightened. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for we could escape and the skeletons didn’t see us.

I was going out with two guys at the same time because I couldn’t decide whom to choose for a boyfriend. I was thinking they would find out, but last Saturday I went to the movies with one of them and there I saw, to my fear, my second suitor sitting right in front of us. I thank Saint Raymond because he was so entertained with the movie he didn’t see me with another guy and didn’t find out about my cheating.

Laura Ortiz \ Tepic, Nayarit

My father wasn’t very glad that I had a boyfriend, so Antonio and I had to meet secretly. One night we were at the cemetery where no one could see us. We were sitting on a grave and talking when we heard a music. We saw the dead leaving their graves and having a party. They played instruments and danced. We were very much frightened. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for we could escape and the skeletons didn’t see us.

Because of rumors my father didn’t accept my boyfriend and even forbade me to see him. But I still met with him secretly. However, one night my father caught us in my bedroom. He was furious, he grabbed his pistol to shoot my boyfriend. I implored Saint Raymond Nonnatus to not let a tragedy happen. The pistol misfired, and my boyfriend managed to escape. Afterwards, I spoke with my father, and he ended up liking my boyfriend. I dedicate this ex-voto for such a great miracle.

Sara Flores — Mexico, 1960