My husband played dice with a circus owner and won an elephant. They were both drunk when they came home with the elephant. I thank the Virgin of San Juan because the circus owner sobered up and wanted to take the elephant back. He offered instead three circus dogs and ten tickets to the show. My husband was happy to take it because he also got sober and was afraid of his win. And the circus dogs turned out to be very cute and perform different tricks.

Ana Maria Gonzalez was terrified to find out that she had a sin — gambling. One Thursday, as usual, she was spending time with her friends playing cards. She lost everything and staked her husband’s house. Ana Maria thanked the Virgin of Zapopan for she won that game. She promised not to play again, and as if she would have such a temptation she would go to bake. Now, Ana Maria opened the pastry-shop and it brings her a good income.

I stopped putting my rooster in fights because we both became old. But I suddenly found myself with a lot of debt and had no opportunities to pay them off. So I asked my rooster if he could fight for the last time during the big feast in Palenque and try to win the grand prize. The rooster agreed to do so. During the fight the enormous enemy-rooster tried to kill my rooster. I prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe. Thanks to her my rooster won. He got some wounds but he survived. We have payed the debts and there are enough money left for living the rest of our lives.

The Teodoro brothers and Lucio Garcia thanks Saint James the Apostle because they rooster El Giro won over the White Cock which had never lost a fight before. With the money they won they payed off their debts.

Aguascalientes, 1949

Cirilo Tecanguey enjoyed playing pool for money. But one day he lost and couldn’t pay. He was beaten by three guys with cues. He thanks the Lord of the Wonders for he didn’t die.

I had the bad habit of playing the Uruguayan Canasta. Some devils started to appear to me by nights. They were playing cards, and I understood it was a divine warning. I knew if I wouldn’t stop playing cards so often, I’d be damned. I prayed to Saint Barbara so that she would chase the devils away. And I promise her to play cards only on Thursdays. Thanks to my promise the devils didn’t come back again.

Luis Mendoza loved to play cards. But one day he didn’t pay, and the mafiosi broke his hand with a hammer as a punishment. Luis thanks the Virgin of San Juan for this rough lesson and promises to amend his ways.

I was very ill. I had a fever. In my dream I saw the devil who came to took my soul. But the Virgin of Guadalupe send her angel to help me. So the angel and the devil played cards for my soul. The angel won, so when I woke up next morning my temperature settled and I was feeling better. I thank the Virgin for that.

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

Rolando Renteria S.
11 August

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

My rooster The Colorado had to fight with The White Cock. It was famous for being very fierce. I prayed to Saint Francis of Assisi so that nothing would happen with my rooster and he would survive the fight. No only he survived, but won the fight. Now my rooster is the best in the area. I dedicate this retablo for that.

Clemente Piña
Aguascalientes

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.

My husband used to be a gambler. That often led to trouble. One day he almost lost our house. I thank the Virgin of San Juan for he won that time and he got so scared that stopped playing. I offer this retablo to the Virgin.