To you, Virgin of Guadalupe, I entrust to rest the lost souls who appear in the bar.

My buddy Jasinto is a drunkard, party goer, gambler and womanizer. Holy Virgin make him behave well and deliver him from hell.

With this humble retablo, I give infinite thanks to the Virgin of Juquila for protecting me on every November 2, because on this night my bar fills with the souls of the dead of the town who come very cheerful to celebrate their day with lots of music and mezcal.

Nicandro Tejeda ~ Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico

My diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy made in a private clinic (during the medical tests) has been reasonably refuted in a municipal clinic. So now I can allow myself, with a light heart, not to count how many beer bottles I drink at the party. I thanks Saint Jude Thaddeus for that.

D. Babenko

My father didn’t like that I had a boyfriend, so Alejandro and I had to meet secretly. One night we were at the cemetery where no one could see us. We were sitting on a grave and talking when we heard a music. We saw the dead leaving their graves and having a party. They played instruments and danced. We were very much frightened. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for we could escape and the skeletons didn’t see us.

With this humble retablo, I thank the Holy Child of Atocha for protecting me on every November 2. This night my bar is filled with the souls of the dead from the village. They come very happy to celebrate their holiday with a lot of music and mezcal.

Ramiro Dominguez \ Zacatecas, Mexico

At the Christmas party in the neighborhood, I went to put some liquor in my punch. Since I was already tipsy I got into the piñata event and was kicked in the head. I give thanks to the Holy Child of Atocha because I got only the lump. I promise not to drink so much on December holidays.

Celedonio Hernandez \ Zacatecas, Mexico

I thank the Virgin of the Valley because now I can stop worrying about this crafty Carlos—my little daughter Carmen’s boyfriend whom I don’t trust for a moment—putting his hands all over my girl. Now I’m playing maracas at the parties and I don’t loose him for a second while they dance.

My sister and I bring flowers to our grandmother’s grave on her birthdays. This time we went at the cemetery at night, and got there with the moonlight. We met some skeletons over there. They left their graves to get drunk. They met us with great joy and wanted to dance with us. We were scared and prayed the Virgin of Zapopan. She helped us to escape from the dead so they didn’t chase us. We thank for that.

Lucia N. dedicates the present retablo to Saint Maroun thanking him for not getting pregnant after having unprotected sex with an American young man. He was with a group of spring-breakers. They had a party on a beach, and they invited her to join. They were drinking a lot of beer, and she didn’t realize what she was doing. She was very much worried what her parents would think, but now she’s calmed down. She promises to be more responsible.

Los Cabos, Baja California

My father wasn’t very glad that I had a boyfriend, so Antonio and I had to meet secretly. One night we were at the cemetery where no one could see us. We were sitting on a grave and talking when we heard a music. We saw the dead leaving their graves and having a party. They played instruments and danced. We were very much frightened. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for we could escape and the skeletons didn’t see us.

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.

My wife had declared that if I’d ever go partying with my colleagues I’d be very sorry. But the other night I was invited to a party and I couldn’t refuse to go. I prayed a lot to Saint James the Apostle so he would protect me in his mercy. When I came home, the shrew was in deep sleep and didn’t noticed what time I returned. I bring this humble retablo thanking for such miracle.

Cirilo Peña
Zacatecas, Mexico