Artemio and Araceli Ramirez prayed to the Virgin of Guadalupe because it didn’t rain for a long time and their harvest was drying. The Holy Virgin send them rains and saved the harvest.

Hidalgo, 23 June 1973

We heard in the news about frost and snowing coming next night. Our mayor even ordered to organize the shelters for homeless. But nobody thought about animals. So my daughter and I went to take every cat and dog from the street. We shelter them in our house, and we feed them. We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for they didn’t fight with each other and stayed quietly through the frost.

The Feast of San Juan is celebrated on June 24. We pray for a good monsoon to bring us the necessary rains that help the plants and animals. When the rains start, the desert comes to life. The smell of the wet creosote in the cool breeze gives a welcome relief. Early the next morning worms of flying ants hover in the air. The creeks and washes flow into the Santa Cruz river and within days, everything is green.

On our way to our grandmother Remigia, who lives above the hill, strong wind arose. And it was so strong and blew us off our feet that my sister Soledad lost her balance and fell off the cliff. But by a miracle of the Virgin of the Rosary her shawl got tangled on a jutting branch and stopped her from falling down. I managed to save her while I left my little brother and sister gripping a tree. After that the Virgin helped us to arrive to the grandmother’s house.

Because of our lack of money, we couldn’t build a stable. And every time when it rained, my wife brought the cow in the house so that it wouldn’t get wet. I hated to see cow’s muzzle waking up. I prayed to the Virgin of Guadalupe for money for the stable, so now the animal sleeps over there.

My son Miguelito was blown away from my hands by a strong wind. My son is small and light so he was carried up in the air. But thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan we caught him.

September 1939, the hailstorm threatened the Toribio Ortiz’ sowing. But he entrusted himself to Saint Isidore, and the hail didn’t harm his crop. He thanks for that with the retablo.

San Andrés Chalchicomula

My old shoes’ soles were cracking. Since it had been raining for a few hours, I didn’t want to ruin my new shoes, so I decided to wear my husband’s boots. But they were so big, that I stumbled and fell in a puddle. I hit my back, and it was so painful. I was scared that I’d be bedridden for the rest of my life. My prayers to the Virgin of Zapopan were heard though, and I recovered pretty soon.

We had a hail storm in July. Hailstone were as big as eggs. We thank Saint Francis for we managed to bring all our animals in the house before they died from cold and the smaller ones smashed by hailstones.

Saint Isidore, thank you for bringing us the rains. My cows were dying without water and there was no place to graze them.

Felipe & Fidel
Metepec, Mexico
June 7, 1990

My little girl Sofia was blown away from my hands and carried for ten meters by a strong wind. But thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan my older daughter was able to catch her before she fell on the ground or hit a tree.

Because of our lack of money, we couldn’t build a stable. And every time when it rained, my wife brought the cow in the house so that it wouldn’t get wet. I hated that, because this damned animal licked my feet and waked me up. I prayed to the Virgin of Guadalupe for money for the stable. The Virgin worked that miracle for me, and now the cow sleeps outside.

St. Isidore the Labourer. thank you for sending us the rains that brought the land to life. It didn’t yield for years because of the drought that had struck the villages around Metepec. I prayed for you help, and you send it to us. I bring you this retablo on your feast day, May, 15, 1960.

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