Ines Sanchez thanks for being a prostitute and having money.

The Hernandez brothers, Panfilo and Silvestre, bring this retablo to Saint Isidor the Labourer because they managed to buy some land in their village for the money they’d earned as farm-workers in USA.

Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas

The humble secretary Berenice Saenz needed money. So she decided to earn it with her body. She found her clients right at her workplace. So she managed to pay for her two sons’ studies—they even graduated and became professionals. She bought a house and opened a pharmacy. With this retablo, Berenice thanks the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception for protecting her all that time.

Veracruz, 1970

Rebeca thanks Holy Lord of Chalma for helping her to find a job as prostitute and to make enough money to pay for the heart surgery for her son whom she loves so much.

January 25, 1985

I dedicate this retablo to Saint Fulgentius for helping me to save enough money to buy a used car of the prestigious American brand Oldsmobile Toronado. It has a fantastic V-8 engine with 455 cu. The distinction is quite clear—it separates the men from the boys. Driving this car is insuperable, thanks to magnificent Front Wheel Drive and to the Torsion Bar suspension. I hope now I could save more money to buy the transmission, the fuel pump and the alternator which are broken.

Thank you, Virgin, for helping me to resist.

I needed money quickly, and my friend told me that I could earn it right away as a prostitute. I put a provocative dress on and stayed at the corner near the cemetery. But all the clients approaching me were very strange. They all were skeletons. I was so scared. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for I got a job in a store so I don’t need to prostitute anymore.

I thank Saint Anthony for all the good things happened with me. When I worked in a cabaret I had a lot of problems. They paid me very little, and my pimp took a big part of my earnings. One day I made up my mind and went to Texas, USA. I rented an apartment, and now my clients come to visit me and give me big dollars.

Sofia Macias
Texas, US, 1966

I thank Our Lady of Lourdes because we have enough money to fill our fridge with pork chump chops and pork knocks exclusively.

Eugenia Ramos had an affair with a young man who was really interested only in her money. She thanks Saint Raymond for having enough strength to fight this obsession.

Jesus Gomez was fired. He was depressed, but then he decided to become a gigolo. Now he gets big money and thanks the Holy Child of Atocha for his luck.

Pedro and his son Antonio give thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe because she gave them strength to cross the Arizona desert and to get to the USA and make some bucks to support their family in Mexico.

January 25, 1985

We, Samuel and Felipe, thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because we came to USA, earned a lot of money and now, three years later, we are going back to our beautiful and beloved Mexico.

November 25, 2000