I thank you, Saint Isidor Laborer, for pulling the rains off our neighborhood and for I could close the gate to my hallway to protect my house from the deluge in our block, as it happened with my neighbor who couldn’t celebrate her niece Michelle’s first communion because of that.

A grateful Mexican
Cuautepec BB, Mexico City, August 2014

Testimony of gratitude to the Virgin of Guadalupe for saving our lives and our little house from the hurricane Gilberto.

The Felix family

We dedicate this retablo to Saint Sebastian the martyr who saved us and our little house during a flood on the Chiapa river.

The Cruz family

My house was saved when an airplane flew very low.

James Eddy gives infinite thanks to his friends and family for helping him rebuild after the great fire.

Sausalito, California, July 2020

To Saint Sebastian the martyr, I dedicate this retablo to thank him for protecting my house and my lands during the floods.

Agustin Melchor

When I came to the city to study in the university I didn’t have enough money to pay rent by myself alone. I found out that one girl, my fellow student, was looking for a girl neighbor to share an apartment with. Then I got an idea to tell her that I’m a gay so she would accept me. I give thanks to Saint Patrick because she didn’t find out that I’m a heterosexual so I could enjoy looking at her almost naked for she is very beautiful.

We thank the Holy Christ of the Good Voyage because fishing is going very good for us. Thanks to him we managed to save money to buy a house to our parents. The one thing we asked is health and to be with us every moment.

Alejandro and Ricardo, Veracruz, Mexico
November 20, 1986

My husband inherited a haunted house from a distant uncle. We didn’t know what to do with it—or demolish the house and sell the land or exorcise it. But it happened that a ghostbuster club bought the house. We thank the Holy Virgin of San Juan because they paid us much more than the value of the real estate.

I’m very happy that Roberto let me live in this apartment showing me how much he loves me, although having discovered that I’m not a woman but gay. We live very happy without hiding our relationship. I asked a lot Saint Sebastian, saint whom I’m devoted to. He understands us and I will live eternally grateful to him.

The Dove — Mexico City, 1990

In memory of that morning of September 19, 1985, when an earthquake shook the Mexico City. I know if God let me live it was to save people and help the others. That’s why I thank Saint Jude Thaddeus who interceded for me, and I’m dedicating this for those who were in those Juarez apartment buildings and for those who aren’t with us anymore. I’m here to tell about it.

Grateful chilango, 19–09–2014

It seemed an easy thing to rob an old abandoned house. But I didn’t know that the house was haunted. Suddenly the furniture began to move by itself, the doors and windows opened which gave me goosebumps. I dedicate this retablo to Saint Benedict because I escaped safe and sound from this house. I promise I’d be a good man and won’t steal ever again.

Elias R. — Queretaro, Mexico

Thanks, Virgin, because after having walked till my friend’s feet bled he finally found a house near the central station where we two could live. In this way he saved me from the house of the narcos where I had lived for a year and he saved himself from the love he had lost in the house where he had lived with his dog before.