Blessed God, I offer you this retablo for not letting me die when I drank that damned poison after having got an illness that looks like aids. I could’t stand the idea of dying from it, I got scared and that’s why I took this decision. But I was saved, and I was told the news that there’s a cure from my illness.

L. F. C. Yovana — Mexico City, 1980

A year ago I tried to commit suicide, jumping from the second floor. My girlfriend had left me. Then I met Gaby who was a paramedic who treated me. Thousand thanks to the Holy Death for not taking me and thus having another opportunity to love.

Oslo, Norway, December 7, 2018

At the day of my wedding my fiancé changed his mind and didn’t come to the church. Furious with rage and pain, I ran to the cape and threw myself into the sea to kill myself. But after falling into the water I imagined my skeleton in the wedding dress lying at the bottom of the sea and surrounded by corrals and seaweed. I realized I didn’t want to die. But my dress got wet and heavy and dragged me down. Saint Barbara came to help me. I was taken by a current and brought up to the shore. A wave threw me back to the air and to the sun. I’m infinitely grateful for that.

Raul and Mauricio thank Saint Sebastian for they had luck to meet and fell in love in Acapulco when Raul was about to kill himself because he had been dumped by his partner. They asked to bless that partner with happiness and protect him for ever.

Couple crazy in love
Acapulco, Guerrero, May 1, 1986

My boyfriend left me and went to another woman. I was depressed. I was going along the cliff and thinking to jump to the sea so I could end with this love pain. I was looking down at the waves crushing on the rocks and suddenly I slipped and fell down. While falling I realized that I definitely don’t want to die and no men is worth to be smashed over rocks because of him. I implored the Virgin of Zapopan and fell into the sea between the rocks. I could swim out. I thank for this miracle because now I could love again and find someone who’s better then that one who dumped me.

Señora Dionicia thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe for arriving home in time so she could save her son from hanging himself because he had problems in the school.

Mexico
February 10, 1975

Santiago Merino wanted to kill himself and fired a bullet, but it just scratched his head because he didn’t know how to handle a weapon. He thanks Saint Nicholas of Bari with this retablo for his intervention, and he’s feeling better now.

Ofelia Gonzalez got disappointed in love, so she threw herself into the lake wearing her wedding dress, since she wouldn’t use it anymore. But it happened so a fisherman noticed her and saved her. Ofelia thanks the Virgin of Zapopan because she met a new love in her savior.

Roberto G. wallowed in drugs. One day he was so depressed he tried to hang himself on a tree. But the branch broke off. Roberto considered it a divine sign. He thanks Saint Jude Thaddeus for his recovery.

I dedicate this retablo to you, Virgin of Guadalupe, for saving me from dying when I hang myself. The dog opened the door in my room so my family noticed what I’m doing and pulled me down.

Eluterio Martinez
Tacubaya, Mexico City, 1960

Holy Heart of Jesus, thank you. I was extremely sad and desperate. My nerves were broken. All because my wife left me and took our child. I got drunk and went to Xochimilco—there my wife and I had met. I began to think about our son. Finally I decided to kill myself and jumped to a channel. I didn’t know how to swim so I thought I would drown quickly. But I was saved. Realized what happened, I ask the Holy Heart for forgiveness.

Plutarco Lopez
Mexico City, 1965

Aurora Medina suffered a lot from an unhappy love. She decided to kill herself. When she was about to jump from a cliff, she suddenly felt grabbed and pulled by some hands. Aurora saw that it was the Virgin of Guadalupe who stopped her. After that miraculous salvation, the girl realized that she had no need to commit suicide over some bastard. She thanks the Virgin.

October 21, 1966

Ofelia Medina was cheated on, so she put her wedding dress on, since she won’t have to wear it, and threw herself into the lake. But a fisherman noticed her and saved her. Ofelia thanks the Virgin of Zapopan because she met a new love in her savior.