On August 21, 1956 when the couple Salinas Duran were going back to their ranch they were attacked by bandits. Don Jesus and his driver were severely wounded. Doña Maria Salinas and Rosa Perez gives tanks to the Virgin of Rosary because theirs husbands didn’t die from blood loss and now they are recovering.

The street salesman Bonifacio Ramirez found himself in a bad situation when in one house he was misunderstood and got beaten up with brooms and sticks. He thanks Saint Raymond for everything cleared up and didn’t get out of control.

Tehuacán, 1940

Gregorio Dominguez was caught by police for raping a girl. He got several months behind the bars. He thanks Saint Raymond and promises to mend his ways.

My raging brother-in-law hit me and put my hand into the press to punish me for laying my hands on his sister. I’m thanking Saint Patrick for this lesson and promise to mend my way.

A woman was traveling in a strange city when robbers mugged her, stole her purse and credit cars and ID and left her lying in the road to die. A priests saw her lying there and walked on by. A lady came by who was very rich and was a member of the Junior League and the D. A. R. That lady was late for an appointment so she fed some stray dogs and rushed off. Just in time who did not go to church and had no social class saw the stranger lying in the road. He bandaged up the stranger’s wounds, got a motel room for her and paid all the bills.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, thank you for your favors.

At one party, I met a Victor. I fell in love with him, and three months later he asked me to move in his place and live together. After that the nightmare started. He was very jealous and drank a lot. One time I met my friend form the childhood and said hello. And Victor went mad. He was furious, and when we arrived at home he beat me with a plank and chained me up. Next day, when he went at work, I tried to get free from the chain. I grabbed my personal things in a hurry and ran to my parents. We don’t want to report on him because we’re frightened he could harm us.

Maria Andrade
Mexico, 1966

Virgin of Guadalupe, I offer this retablo in your honor for saving me from the death when an angry asshole cut me because I was dancing with Rosa and he wanted to dance with her first. I thank you because I’m alive.

Luis Guzman
Merced, Mexico, 1989

In the name of all women in the world I dedicate this ex-voto to the Holy Cross for those women who were cowardly killed in Juarez, Chihuahua. I ask you with sorrow in my heart to receive their souls and present them to paradise. And let this evil stop. Protect women from it. May all the women be blessed. One more Mexican is asking you.

Alfredo Vilchis R.
Minas de Cristo, Mexico, 2004

San Cristóbal de las Casas
January 27, 2014

When I found out that Juansito cheated on me with this snake Mariela, I waited him at the kitchen. When he came back home from work, I killed him with the bread knife. Then I was going to thrust that knife into my heart but I fell and hit my head. I fainted. With this colorful picture I thank Saint Honoratus for the miracle that today, on the day of my 35th birthday, I’m going to be happy and in good health again.

I thank the Holy Child of Atocha because I found my son Antonio who had been kidnapped. He was kept chained in a hovel and he was badly beaten. After searching for him for so long, without losing my faith in you, we entrusted ourselves to you and now I dedicate this retablo.

Alfredo M. was badly beaten during a protest. He was severely injured and had a risk of becoming blind. He thanks Saint James with this retablo because it didn’t happened and he’s got recovered.

Saint Jude Thaddeus, thank you for your help. One day my husband came home in bad mood because a sheep fell of the cliff. My husband was drunk. He went on the kitchen and tried the chilaquiles I made. He got furious, he threw the pan saying that the food wasn’t spicy enough. I asked him not to get mad. But he grabbed my hair and kick me in the face. He broke my jaw. So I had it, and I kicked him out the house.

Victoria Mendoza
Pachuca, Hidalgo, 1975

Maria Eugenia Sanchez was kidnapped by her boyfriend. He tied her to a chair and shot her in a shoulder. Maria thanks the Holy Child of Atocha because the help arrived very quickly and now her boyfriend is rotting in the jail.