I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe with this retablo because I managed to execute the mission imposed on me by mr. Madero. With these great, brave women and with their tricks, we managed to transport successfully the arms and the ammunition in trains—from the border with Texas to Piedras Negras, Coahuila—to protect the “San Luis” plan.

A. Aguirre Benavides
October 1910

Some bandits attacked the train when Menche and I were on it carrying our money to buy the parcel near the river. I thank the Virgin who gave me strength and courage to go up to the roof with all my money. The bandits didn’t find me there and we bought the land that we wanted so much for having our own little rancho.

1914, the train was attacked by the Villistas near Chihuahua. They took my wife and my mother-in-law. I hid myself and entrusted myself to the Holy Child of Atocha to whom I gave thanks because they didn’t see me.

Our piglet ran away and went to the railroad tracks. My son Felipe went to drag it off right before the approaching train. It was a miracle of the Virgin of Guadalupe that he managed to pull the piglet before the train hit them. Thanks.

November 20, 1910, the people of Mexico took up arms at the call of Francisco Madero. Entrusting themselves to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the people fought doughtily for their rights, under the slogans “Viva the revolution!” and “Down with the bad government!”. With the faith in the better life and lands, and liberty, people fought for a free and independent Mexico. Don’t forget that there’s no other country like Mexico. Viva Mexico! Viva the revolution!

Minas de Cristo, Mexico City
November 20, 2010

Margarita Peña was very nervous because of the arrival of her parents-in-law, who were coming from the capital. She broke the saucepan with the shrimp soup and burned the stew. Finding herself in such a disaster she entrusted herself to the mercy of the Virgin of San Juan. The Virgin made the parents-in-law miss the train and arrive the next day. Margarita gives thanks to the Virgin.

March 28, 1949

Virgin of Guadalupe, I dedicate this retablo to you thanking for saving us from an ambush of the federals. We got some wounds but managed to get through. We, revolutionaries who are fighting for the land and for the freedom, offer this retablo.

Guanajuato
September 24, 1917

Marvelous Saint James, we offer you this humble retablo for helping us with the soldiers who didn’t let the train pass because we were going where our general Pancho Villa was and we were carrying riffles and machine guns to him because we were fighting for our land and our freedom.

Hortencio Gamboa Lopez
Guanajuato, 5 july 1915

The train came off the rails and was going to hit Salomon *** and his cows when the amazing miracle was happened. Salomon saw the angels coming down from the sky to stop the train and avoid the tragedy. No one died, no one was hurt. Salomon offers this retablo in gratitude.

We were having a picnic, when an UFO appeared. We thank, because the extraterrestrials didn’t take us with them on their planet.

When we got stuck on a railway track, the Virgin of Guadalupe sent us two farmworkers with a mule. They helped us to cross the track right before the train. We thank for that.

July 19, 1966

Virgin of Guadalupe, we offer you this retablo for saving my brother Fidel from dying. We went as immigrants on the train, known as “The Beast”, and he fell and hung on. We asked for strength to help him out. We thank you for the miracle.

Mexico, 2014