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The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her infamous restoration attempt on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.

The woman, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, became a global sensation 13 years ago after she attempted to restore a century-old fresco titled Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.

Giménez's restoration effort quickly went viral and earned the moniker "Monkey Christ", because the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey.

Official Announcement and Homage

The 94-year-old's death was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he described her as a "passionate enthusiast of painting from a young age".

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

Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to repaint the work over".

The Painting's Background and the Now-Infamous Intervention

The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.

At the time, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to proceed.

She also noted that anyone who entered the Church would have seen she was painting over the original image.

A Surprising Economic Lifeline

The impact of the repaint job spawned the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination.

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

Today, local authorities say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to see the notorious painting, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.

Legacy and Community Support

After recovering from the initial backlash, backed by the townspeople and others globally, Giménez later stage an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her personal paintings.

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

Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful act of restoration created an improbable piece of pop culture and brought remarkable attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.