Spanish-born Parishioner Who Found Fame for Mishandling a Prized Fresco Repair Has Died at Age 94

The Spanish parishioner who made international headlines for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a cherished religious painting has died at the age of 94.

The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, became a global sensation thirteen years ago after she attempted to restore a 100-year-old painting known as Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.

Giménez's restoration effort quickly went viral and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", because the resulting likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.

Local Confirmation and Homage

The 94-year-old's passing was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "great lover of painting from a young age".

"Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.

Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation it presented, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to repaint the work over".

The Painting's Background and the Now-Infamous Act

The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.

At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to proceed.

She also noted that anyone who came into the church would have seen she was applying paint to the original artwork.

An Unexpected Tourist Boom

The impact of the restoration led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant tourist destination.

The town, which had previously seen only five thousand visitors per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest.

Today, local authorities estimate that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to see the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.

Legacy and Community Support

After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from local residents and others around the world, Giménez went on to hold an art exhibition featuring 28 of her own works.

She was praised by Borja's mayor for her generosity and decades of faithful service to the parish.

In the end, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair forged an unlikely piece of pop culture and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.