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The Spanish parishioner who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age of 94.

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

Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting depiction of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.

Local Announcement and Homage

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

"Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," the mayor posted.

Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to repaint the work over".

The Artwork's Background and the Now-Infamous Intervention

The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.

In 2012, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to do the work.

She added at the time that anybody who came into the church would have observed she was painting over the original artwork.

An Unexpected Tourist Boom

The aftermath of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination.

The town, which had in the past seen only 5,000 tourists per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.

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

Later Life and Local Admiration

After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from local residents and others around the world, Giménez went on to stage an exhibition of her paintings showcasing 28 of her personal works.

She was commended by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of faithful service to the parish.

In the end, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful art repair created an unlikely cultural icon and brought remarkable attention and resources to a small Spanish town.