Every time my colleagues and I went to sing serenades I used to pass a couple of tequilas to warm up my voice. But lately I was going out of hand with it to the extent of coming drunk and spoiling the serenades. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because my colleagues gave me another opportunity, and I promised them to become an abstinent mariachi again.

Saturnino Fernandez
Zapopan, Jalisco

The Day of the Dead, the dead came out of their graves to have fun. They choose my tepacheria place to dance and play music. I was scared, and all customers who were alive ran away. I thought I was going to earn nothing and only to lose money that night. But thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe the skeletons turned out to be good clients. When they went away—because of the rooster—they left me various gold coins which were very valuable.

Tepacheria is a bar where they serve tepache, a fermented beverage made from the pineapple peel.

I thank the Virgin of Immaculate Conception because thanks to her I could practice a Wurlitzer piano at our parish and a piece I composed was chosen among 250 girls for the musical background of the radio commercial of a famous detergent.

The Perez Lopez brothers thank Saint Maroun with this retablo for helping them to get musical instruments and to create their rock band.

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because we managed to collect enough money to but a new needle for our record player. So now we can listen that album we have all the day on Sundays.

Hidalgo, March 1962

I was very happy taking the sun at the beach when suddenly hundreds of crabs began to surround me. They were getting closer and closer to me. I thought they were going to attack me all together at once so I jumped away very scared. But then I noticed that it was my radio what was attracting them. It seemed they loved the music which was very beautiful by the way. I thank the Virgin for this miracle of saving me from being attacked and pinched by those melomaniac crabs.

Facundo Mendez brings this retablo to Saint Patrick thanking him because he went to New York and saw the Rolling Stones’ concert from the first row.

My fiancé came to visit me. He brought his musicians, and we danced till the dawn. Thanks for he didn’t take me with him.

When my husband went to work at the north, I felt very lonely at evenings. Then I began to play guitar and sing outside. Little by little my melodies attracted all the cats from our neighborhood. They were captivated by my music. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan for this big company I have now.

Matilda Olaldi
Tequila, Jalisco
2nd of October 1982

Everyone in our family has a musical talent which we are very proud of. However, we were highly disappointed in our son Mario who hadn’t inherited a good ear for music and is awful in playing the instrument he chose. He hadn’t inherited my wife’s wonderful voice as well. He sings horribly. But his teacher has discovered that he’s a mathematical genius. We thank the Virgin of San Juan for our son has a talent.

My throat was inflamed and I couldn’t sing. I almost lost my voice. I entrusted myself to the Virgin of Guadalupe to heal me. The Virgin helped me, and now I’m singing even better. I thank for that with this retablo.

Rosario Bello
Durango, 1938

My sister and I worked playing and singing at the parties. One day we were hired for a beach party. When we arrived there, first we thought if was a masquerade party. But then we realized those were real skeletons dancing around, and there was the Devil himself playing the bongo. When they got distracted, my sister and I slipped away. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because they didn’t follow us and because they’d paid us in advance.