We found a headless dove without blood on the set. It wasn’t a witchcraft but an extraterrestrial Peruvian chupacabra that drowned in the lake afterwards. I dedicate this retablo to Saint Genesius for saving our play.

Kumiko Aparicio Bilchir ~ Xochimilco, 2020

When we were coming back home from the town fair, we met a headless horseman on our way. The sight of the ghost made our hair stand on end and our blood freeze in the veins. But the Virgin of Zapopan protected us, and the horseman passed by without seeing us and didn’t do anything to us. But the next day we saw that our hair turned gray from fright.

A headless woman came to me, but I entrusted myself to the Virgin, and she went away.

I, Gumersinda Cervantes, give infinite thanks to the Virgin of Juquila for saving my old man. He almost died of fear when he met a headless man on his way back from corn fields. He fainted.

When Juaquina Ramirez went to the lake for water she almost fainted being frightened by the headless man. She thanks Saint Pancras with this retablo for he protected her and she suffered no damage but only pissed herself from the fear.

Puebla, 1914

When we were returning from the work, my buddy Simon and I had a chilling encounter near the cemetery walls. A headless bride appeared to us. She was wondering looking for her lover. We thank the Virgin of Zapopan because the ghost didn’t see us and passed by blasting us with freezing air. I’ve got more gray hairs after that, and Simon now stutters.

Rosario and Lurdes decided to go out of the town and sell tamale and atole to all coming guests during the town fair. The sales were going well. At night they bagged to pack when they saw a rider approaching them. When he came closer they saw that he had no head. In fear they prayed the Virgin of Zapopan, and thanks to her the ghost didn’t notice them and passed by without causing any harm to them.

When we were going by the old road to San Juan de los Lagos to sell apples we met the phantasm of the headless rider. He often appears to travelers and abducts them. When we saw him, we entrusted ourselves to the Virgin of the Rosary. Thanks to her divine protection, the ghost passed by without noticing us. My husband and I turned gray after that, but we arrived to the town and sold our apples.

My buddy and I were coming back after the sowing. We took the short way, through the cemetery, and there the beheaded bride appeared to us. She scared us. We prayed to you, Virgin of the Solitude, so the bride would o away. And she disappeared. Thanks.

Nochixtlan, Oaxaca, Mexico, 1976

Lord of Chalma, I thank you with this retablo. The headless man appeared to me, and I got very scared.

Lupito Gonzalez
January 10, 1939