The pig I was going to kill for the feast chased me. Thanks for he didn’t catch me.

I was catching some shrimps, when suddenly an alligator appeared. I was frightened, because I only had a knife. I prayed the Virgin of Sorrows, and she showed her mercy. She helped me, because all of a sudden a good man with a pistol came and saved me.

Miguel Limantor Rocha
Yucatan — July 10, 1954

I refused to go with a drunkard, and he grabbed a knife and threatened to kill me. In this danger I implored your protection, and you saved me. Thank you for getting out alive.

Concha — Mexico City — November 12, 1990

Señor Alberto thanks the Virgin of Sorrows for not losing his arm when he cut himself while butchering meat in his shop. He brings this retablo as his gratitude for this favor.

January 25, 1999
Tacubaya, Mexico City

I thank Saint Francis of Assisi because during all this time I haven’t received anything more serious than small cuts and bruises caused by my godfather known as Elvis the Knife Thrower. In spite of improving his act, he still has to practice a lot. And I keep living in fear.

Virgin of San Juan, thank for your favors. A cockfight was going on, and it seemed that my cock was going to win. I cheered him but then suddenly the other cock owner stab me in my eye. My eye fell off and I almost lost it. I thank the Virgin for enlightening the surgeon who worked on me.

Ambrosio Ibarra
Leon, Guanajuato, 1961

A villain got in my room and tried to rape me. But the Virgin saved me miraculously.

Lola Reyes
Mexico —May 30, 1990

Little Jaime Sanchez was playing at the kitchen and put a knife in his arm. His parents thank Saint Paschal with this retablo for nothing serious happened.

Thank you, Virgin of Guadalupe, for protecting me. One warm night in May, I was attacked by a handsome man with a knife. I told him I got not a lot of money on me. I said he shouldn’t attack people and I offered him to live with me. I even promised to support him but he refused because he wasn’t from Mexico but from somewhere in Central America.

Ernestina Luna
Mexico City, 1959

I was coming back from the market when a man in a black hat attacked me with an onion peeling knife. But then suddenly two dogs—not too big, but very brave indeed—jumped on him, because they don’t like people in hats. I was saved, and I thank the Holy Virgin for that.

Maria Lopez

I thank the Virgin of San Juan for the miraculous delivery from the danger of being killed by a horrible man.

Angela Gonzalez
Aguascalientes

Señora Maria thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe for her husband Antonio didn’t lose his arm when he cut himself with the knife while working in the butcher shop. She brings this retablo in gratitude.

December 12, 1985

I thank Jesus Christ because bastards who attacked and violently raped me didn’t kill me and didn’t infect me with AIDS. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ with this retablo.

Monica Torres Avila
Guadalajara, Jalisco, 1971