I was a very jealous man. My jealousy went to extremes when I saw my beautiful wife reading a letter. I thought it was from a lover. The demon of jealousy clouded my mind and made me take the gun and point it to my wife. But then I felt two small hands pulling the gun aside. Later I found out that the letter was from my wife’s grandmother. I thank the Holy Spirit for sending a little angel to save me from this horrible crime and for my wife forgave me for being such an idiot.

Rosario Morales got involved with a married man. But one day his wife appeared with a gun in her hand. Rosario thanks Saint Jude for she was able to convince the wife to not kill her.

The cadet Rafael Vasquez got drunk and—being in this inappropriate state—shot his superior. He thanks the Merciful Lord for he was only sentenced to five years in prison and the wounded man suffered no bad consequences.

Enrique Martinez went to sing a serenade and was met with bullets. He thanks Saint Francis with this retablo because everything ended well. He promises to not get involved with married women anymore.

Gumara Tecanguey found herself in grave danger. Her husband was about to shoot her because of evil tongues telling him that she’d cheated on him. She thanks the Virgin of the Solitude for protecting her and her husband couldn’t prove anything.

I thank you, Virgin of San Juan, for all your favors. I decided to leave my husband after he had put horns on me. I kicked him out, but the next day he came back to kill me. Gaston, my husband, shot me. My wound was serious, but I prayed to the Virgin of San Juan fro my life. And she saved me.

Monterrey, 1952

1925, in San Bernardino, my buddy caught me on the mat with his wife. He started to shoot at us. I give infinite thanks to Saint Elias for no bullet hit me. She took them all.

Thank you, Virgin of Guadalupe, for protecting us. A cold morning caught us in the mountains near by Gabriel Hernandez. My friend Miguel and I put a fire in a cave. We were talking when suddenly bullets began to fly out the fire. They were firing in all directions, and one hit me. Thank goodness, we managed to get in time to my friend who was a doctor.

Victor Tostado
Mexico City, 1956

Roberto Jimenez was driving his bus when two criminals came in and started robbing the passengers. But they didn’t know that there was a policeman on that bus. He shot the criminals. Roberto thanks the Virgin of Juquila for nothing happened to him.

In 1920 in the town of San Tito my buddy caught me on the mat with his wife. He started shooting at us. I give infinite thanks to the Holy Child of Atocha because bullets didn’t hit me. She took them all, and I jumped out the window.

A neighbor of the butcher Ricardo Jimenez used to pay him for the meat with her body until one day her husband found out about it and started shooting at them. The butcher thanks for he survived and promises not to be so weak.

Raul Chavez couldn’t find a job and dedicated himself to prostitution with women. But one day in husband caught him working on his wife and began shooting at him. He thanks Saint Pancras for he survived and promises to dedicate himself to something else.

Because of rumors my father didn’t accept my boyfriend and even forbade me to see him. But I still met with him secretly. However, one night my father caught us in my bedroom. He was furious, he grabbed his pistol to shoot my boyfriend. I implored Saint Raymond Nonnatus to not let a tragedy happen. The pistol misfired, and my boyfriend managed to escape. Afterwards, I spoke with my father, and he finally accepted our engagement. Now he doesn’t believe any rumors, and I thank for that with this ex-voto.

Eduarda Solis
Mexico, 1959