When my husband went to work at the north, I felt very lonely. So the evenings, I started to play guitar and sing outside. Little by little my music 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.

I play heavenly. Thanks because the Virgin sends me an angel who guides me.

The Treviño brothers thank Saint Cecily for they band “The Northern Chameleons” won the musical contest and have a very big success.

Monterrey, 1989

I dedicate this retablo to Saint Martin the Cavalryman as a gratitude because thanks to my job as an organ-grinder I could support my children and it’s a very good feeling to make the people around feel happy with my music which follows me everywhere.

Gumersindo Lopez, Mexico City

Juan Gallardo was taken with the mermaid’s singing. He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t eat, and was constantly thinking about her. He swam to the rocks to see her. His wife Rosario understood that she was loosing her husband, so she prayed to the Virgin of San Juan. The Virgin suggested Rosario should put earplugs in Juan’s ears. Thanks to that, the charms were broken and her husband was back to his senses again.

When I play my violin everything around me fade away. I remain alone with the music, we’re in another world. I thank the Virgin of the Rosary for this gift to bring out wonderful sound from a piece of wood with strings.

I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for helping me to find a job of mariachi here in Garibaldi after being kicked out from a butcher shop where I had worked before. As I promised, every morning now I sing to you.

Tiodoro Aguilar from Xochimilco
December 12, 1970

1920, Zacatlan, my boyfriend was crying a serenade for me, and my daddy got annoyed, went out and started shooting at him. I thank the Holy Child of Atocha for my boyfriend got no bullet and my daddy only shot one mariachi.

The Corona brothers thank Saint Cecily for wining a musical contest and for having a tremendous success with their band “The Northern Chameleons”.

Caborca, Sonora, 1992

The northern group “The Brave Ones from Apodaca” gives thanks to Saint Cecily for the miracle of recording their first album. They were paying for years at festivals and private events, and one day a musical producer heard them. He offered them a good contract with a label. Thus their dream came true. They dedicate this humble retablo for that.

Apodaca, Nuevo Leon

A group of skeletons played salsa on our roof. They rehearsed preparing for the Day of the Dead celebration. They were making a lot of unbearable noise—they were lousy musicians and the singer was completely out of tune. We prayed the Virgin of Zapopan, and a strong wind came thanks to her. It blew so strong, the skeletons began to lose their bones carrying by the wind. Their ribs flew away, so they got scared, got together the rest of their bones and ran away looking for a more quite place. And we got peace and silence after all.

Braulio Perez has created a rock band, and now they are on a tour with big success. He brings this retablo to the Holy Death thanking for this favor.

I dedicate this retablo to the Virgin of Guadalupe as a gratitude because thanks to my job as an organ-grinder I could support my children and it’s a very good feeling to make the people around feel happy with my music which follows me everywhere.

Feliciano Abascal, Mexico City