I commissioned this retablo in honor of the Enlightened Spirit of Emoji who inspired me to take this selfie. It went viral and collected tens of thousands of hits.

Jose Bocatillo, R.I.P.
August 8, 2013

Señor Fausto Lopez always liked the colors of the carnivals. With the present retablo, he thanks Saint Veronica for having visited the Carnival in Veracruz this year. He made many photos of the celebration because photography is his big passion.

Veronica Robledo fervently thanks the Holy Child of Atocha because she was chosen for the poster in a men magazine and they made some beautiful photos with her.

Mexico City, Mexico, 1978

Señorita Aleida Nuñez gives thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe because on August 21, 2013, her Facebook profile photo got 1000 likes and now she enjoys many suitors. Amen.

Saint Dymphna, I’m infinitely thankful to you for looking after me, at night and during the day, and from client to client. You blessed me in my vigil hours and comforted me in my dreams. You blessed me with bravery and showed me my own power. I’ll be always grateful for your effort. Thanks for watching for me and keeping me safe.

A spy took photos of a politician Sebastian Lopez when he was with his mistress and ruined his career. Sebastian thanks Saint Anthony of Padua with this retablo because he managed to save his marriage and move forward.

I thank Saint Cajetan because I got a job all men are dreaming about—a “Playboy” photographer.

Mexico, 2006

I’m a big fan of selfies. The other day, I went to the zoo and thought it’d be cool to make a selfie with a lion and upload it on Facebook without realizing how dangerous it could be to have a lion so close. I bring this retablo to the Virign of Juquila the Great because thank to my phone’s flash the giant cat got scared and didn’t do anything to me. I promise to be more responsible while making photos.

Alex Ríos \ Oaxaca, Mexico

I used to wok as a taxi driver at the Los Angeles airport, California. One day I was waiting for a passenger and saw, with excitement, Elvis Presley arriving in his limousine. When he got out his car I saw his wallet falling off and he didn’t notice. I went to pick it up and gave it back. I thank Saint Patrick because, for this good deed, my rock idol gave me a photo with his autograph which I still keep.

Juventino Flores

Blessed Souls of the Purgatory. To them I dedicate this retablo because when we were making love in a chemical toilet at the Corona Capital festival and tried to make a selfie, the phone fell down. We started to look for it but realized it fell down the hole. We couldn’t recover it. It sucked—it was her phone. Uff… Lucky it wasn’t mine.

Grateful Mexican
October 2014

Ignacio Perez thanks Saint Augustine with the present retablo for meeting Salma Hayek. She was filming a movie in his town and gave him an autograph and even took some photos with him.

Señor Gustavo Morales finally manage to go to a photo safari and to make photos of many lions which are his passion. He brings the present retablo to Saint Sebastian de Aparicio in gratitude for this favor.

I have a passion for the photography. Above all I enjoy taking photos of animals. That’s why I went to the zoo. I wanted to have a better picture of a rhino, so I came too close to it, and my camera fell right near it. I thank Saint Charbel because the animal ignored me and didn’t do anything when I, absolutely frightened, had to go down for my camera. I promise to be more careful.

Benjamin Sandoval \ Puebla