1917, on our way to Puebla, the mare got scared of my wife and kicked her. My wife broke her hip. Since no remedy could help her, I implored the Holy Child of Atocha, and she recovered. I thank for that with this retablo.

Catarino Ruiz

Barcelona, February, 2014

Thank you, Virgin, because that irritable misanthrope my father miraculously saved his life when he crashed his little plane in a windmill. He was left crippled, and Delta pensioned him off early. My mother and I are very happy because now he helps us about the house. But my sister isn’t thrilled about it because she can’t spend afternoons locked up in her room with her boyfriend anymore.

April 30, 1935, a tragedy happened with the boy Pedrito. He went to feed the pigs, and one of them bit his arm. In danger of losing his arm, the boy implored the Virgin of Carmel. She had mercy on him and granted him healing. I testify about her miracle in gratitude.

Señora Carmen R,
Morelia, Michoacan

When Gregoria Coyotzi was gathering wood, she received a blow in her bottom from her donkey. It broke her coccyx, and she was feeling very bad. She implored the Virgin of San Juan and got recovered. She’s infinitely thankful for that.

Puebla, 1914

When Serafin Gonzalez was playing an archangel in the Nativity play in the church, and the rope that held him broke down and he fell hitting his head. His mother, doña Clara, thanks the Holy Virgin of Zapopan for her son didn’t kill himself.

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.

The grandfather climbed a tree out of stubbornness but he fell, got a terrible blow and broke his hips. He was very sad he couldn’t walk. We thank Saint James because Frida the painter elevated his spirit when she visited us.

Maria Ruis
Puebla, 1943

In sign of my eternal gratitude, I dedicate the present retablo to the Miraculous Virgin of San Juan* for saving me when I slipped from the top rope trying to perform an Atomic Hummer.

The Northern Sun, April 2001

* — there is an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, however.

To Jesus Malverde I give thanks for surviving a conflict in Culiacan.

Roger Medina

Saint Charbel, thank you for your deeds. I thank for helping out to my daughter to go on studying. I had to become a prostitute after my husband left us and I got an accident at work. I accidentally put my hand in a die and lost my arm. They had to give me a prosthesis. I thank for my daughter has finished nursing school.

Faustina Flores
Mexico City, 1964

It happened in 1953, during the running of the bulls in Huamantla Tlaxcala, Mexico. Young man Francisco de Marquez S. was running in front of the bulls, and one of them gored him. He was badly injured and, finding himself in this predicament, implored to Our Holy Virgin of Guadalupe. He got recovered promptly, and he left this testimony in the city of Puebla.

Virgin of Guadalupe, I dedicate you this retablo because my brother the Angel of Tacubaya feels well. He had dislocated his shoulder after the flight form the third rope to win over the Devil of Merced and thus to triumph in that extreme fight.

Tacubaya, Mexico City
December 12, 2006

I always enjoyed the speed and strong emotions. But then I got in a terrible crash on my motorcycle. I suffered multiple fractures and spent several weeks in the hospital. I dedicate this retablo to Saint Ignatius of Loyola thanking him for that crash because that way I met a gorgeous nurse who made my recovery very pleasant. Now, when I’m recovered I’ve even invited her to go dancing.

Ricardo Salas \ Merida, Yucatan