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The elderly woman from Spain who achieved global fame for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.

The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she attempted to restore a 100-year-old fresco known as Ecce Homo located in her local church.

Giménez's restoration effort quickly went viral and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", because the resulting depiction of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.

Official Announcement and Tribute

The 94-year-old's passing was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a young age".

"Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote.

Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to apply new paint over the original".

The Artwork's Background and the Fateful Act

The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.

In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to do the work.

She added at the time 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 "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and saw the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant tourist destination.

The town, which had in the past seen only 5,000 tourists per year, attracted more than 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 visit Borja each year to view the notorious painting, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.

Legacy and Community Admiration

Following the initial backlash, with support from the townspeople and others globally, Giménez went on to stage an art exhibition showcasing twenty-eight of her personal works.

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

Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed act of restoration created an unlikely cultural icon and provided remarkable tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.