My husband and I were spending a night in an inn in Guanajuato to celebrate our anniversary, and it happened that the Death appeared to us. We were very frightened and prayed to the Virgin of San Juan. The Death disappeared. We thank the Holy Virgin for this horrible apparition didn’t make a deadly omen to us because we were told in the town that this room was bewitched.

Virgin of Guadalupe, I thank you, because the Black Cowboy saved me from the Death.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, thank you for all your favors. It seemed I was loosing my mind when I got in the river completely naked. One and half year before, my boyfriend Pepe had drowned at the very same place. A lady saw me there and reported to the police. They came looking for me, and then I spent three days at a police station until my mother and my sister came after me. They payed the fine, and then I was taken from there with the psychologist. Few months later, I was doing better mentally, since I had been at the edge of going crazy.

Angela Moreno
Cuernavaca, Morelos, 1965

I met Arturo few months after his wife had died at the day of their wedding. We fell in love, and, after waiting one year of his widowhood, we got married. But after coming back from our honeymoon I began to see his first wife’s ghost every night. She was furious and looked at me with so much hate. Arturo slept like a log and of course didn’t see any of this. And me—I was trembling in fear. Then I ordered a requiem mess for her soul. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because the ghost hasn’t appeared ever since.

I dedicate this retablo to the holy Virgin of Lourdes. Since I was a little girl I had my little dog called Lassy whom I loved greatly. She died at 18 years old. I thank the Virgin for I found a very good and cheap taxidermist who turned my Lassy back to me in three weeks, and she looked as if she were still alive.

Anselmo Barrientos was resting after the work in the field. He was drinking pulque when he saw the bony Death. Anselmo wasn’t a young man, but still he had no desire to die yet. He prayed the Lord of Blue Eye. The Lord scared the Death away, and it left Anselmo in peace.

Gino Rubert dedicates the present retablo to the Holy Father for hearing his prayers and giving his wife a fatal pulmonary infection because she was a very cruel and abusive person.

Mexico City, 2013

I was going in my carriage, when the Death appeared before me. She told me, “Give me a ride!” I was scared for my life and prayed the Virgin of San Juan. She delivered me from this horror, and I dedicate the retablo.

Jalisco
November 3, 1961

Thanks to Saint Francis of Assisi for having granted me a miracle of my cat Creep being born, living and dying at my home and for giving him a long life of more than 18 years. He loved the fresh air, relaxing and my caress. I’ll always remember him and appreciate his tender soul and friendly company.

The Death came to our fruit shop and sat there. We ran away in fear praying to the Virgin so the the Death wouldn’t take us. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because the Boney ate a watermelon and then went away without touching us. We thank for saving us.

When I was very sick, the Death in person came to my bedroom. Horrified, I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan so that she’d scare the Death away. The Holy Virgin gave courage to my dogs, and they attacked the Death. The Death felt the dogs gnawing the bones and disappeared without taking me. I thank the Holy Virgin.

Gudelio Sanchez thanks the Holy Child of Atocha. His grandfather was dying but suddenly got up from the mat. Turned out he hadn’t breathed his last. Grandfather scared them all, so they shit their pants.

Huejutla, 1924