Cecilia Giménez, the Spanish woman who famously attempted to restore a painting of Jesus—with shocking results—passed away on Monday at the age of 94.
Cecilia Giménez gained global fame in 2012 when her well-intentioned effort to restore a 19th-century fresco of Jesus in Borja’s Santuario de Misericordia church produced a…subpar result.
The image became an internet sensation, quickly being dubbed “Monkey Christ” online, where it was mocked, maligned, and memed.
While the incident initially caused her considerable distress and embarrassment, with Giménez recounting an extended period of weight loss and severe anxiety, it ultimately turned into a boon.
The mishap transformed the small Spanish town into a popular tourist spot, drawing over 40,000 visitors annually by 2013—up from about 5,000 before, enabling the church to use funds raised from tourists wanting to see the pointing in person to fund further ministry work.
