Francisco Gutierrez got drunk and slept on the wheel of the machine. He thanks the Virgin of Juquila because he managed to wake up before he fell into the ravine.

Thank you, Lord of Lightnings, for saving me when I fell and hurt my head. I, Tiburcio Morales, thank you.

Puebla — January 8, 1939

I kept drinking and was always totally wasted so neither my family nor my friends loved me anymore. I asked the Virgin of Guadalupe for helping me to get out of this bad habit. Because she granted me with this miracle I’ve ordered this retablo to thank her. I promise not to drink again.

Federico Cuevas
Mexico, 1969

Thanks to Saint Cecily for helping me to stay away from alcohol, drugs and gambling.

Rolando Renteria S.
11 August

Saint Jude Thaddeus, thank you for your favors.

At one party, I met a Victor. I fell in love with him, and three months later he asked me to move in his place and live together. After that the nightmare started. He was very jealous and drank a lot. One time I met my friend form the childhood and said hello. And Victor went mad. He was furious, and when we arrived at home he beat me with a plank and chained me up. Next day, when he went at work, I tried to get free from the chain. I grabbed my personal things in a hurry and ran to my parents. We don’t want to report on him because we’re frightened he could harm us.

Maria Andrade
Mexico, 1966

The little boy, Carlos Mendes, got in his father’s bar cabinet. He got thirsty and he drank one bottle. He got awfully drunk. His father give thanks because Carlos didn’t die after all although he vomited a lot.

I give thanks to Saint Quiteria of Frexeiras for saving me from alcoholism and damned gambling.

José Arthur dos Santos Mota
São José da Tapera, Alagoas

Virgin of Guadalupe, I promise not to drink pulque nor mescal, or the death would take me. O, Mother Holy Virgin, help me not to get drunk again.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, thank you for your help. One day my husband came home in bad mood because a sheep fell of the cliff. My husband was drunk. He went on the kitchen and tried the chilaquiles I made. He got furious, he threw the pan saying that the food wasn’t spicy enough. I asked him not to get mad. But he grabbed my hair and kick me in the face. He broke my jaw. So I had it, and I kicked him out the house.

Victoria Mendoza
Pachuca, Hidalgo, 1975

I dedicate this retablo to Saint Martin de Porres. For a long time, I was drinking, idling about and stealing. I didn’t care about my father’s carpenter shop. So now I became a fakir. I hammer nails not in the timber, but into my tongue and my body.

Yolanda Ramos played spin the bottle. As a result, she got naked and having sex with a stranger who gave her a disease. Yolanda thanks Saint Martha for the recovery and promises not to drink anymore.

I thank the Archangel of the Neighborhood for guiding my son Pancho on the righteous way. In such young age he was already an alcoholic, and it was breaking our hearts. He got involved with bad company and had a lot of problems. He made all family suffer, because we love him so much. With all his heart, he swore to stop drinking. We ask you to help him in that.

Grateful parents
Tacubaya, Mexico City
May 10, 2000

With this drawing, I want to thank Saint Francis for the miracle he made. Your slave Juan Luis Rubert had some drinks in the bar. On the way back, I was riding a horse and hit my head on a badly planted tree. I fell off the horse and broke two ribs and one leg. On top of everything I was stung by a viper.

However, that moonless night Saint Francis heard my prayers. He sent me my neighbor Geniero, who was passing by on his donkey. He took me to the hospital where I met Dr. Paty and fell in love with her.

Mexico City — December 2013