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The elderly woman from Spain who achieved global fame for her poorly executed repair job on a valuable religious painting has passed away at the age 94.

The woman, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she attempted to restore a century-old painting titled Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.

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

Official Confirmation and Homage

The nonagenarian's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate lover of painting from a young age".

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

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

The Artwork's History and the Fateful Intervention

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

In 2012, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.

She added at the time that anyone who entered the church would have observed she was applying paint to the existing image.

A Surprising Economic Lifeline

The aftermath of the restoration spawned the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and saw the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination.

The town, which had previously welcomed just 5,000 tourists per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.

Today, local authorities estimate that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja each year to view the notorious painting, which is now protected by a pane of glass.

Legacy and Community Support

Following the initial backlash, backed by local residents and well-wishers globally, Giménez later stage an art exhibition featuring 28 of her personal paintings.

She was commended by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and decades of dedication to the church.

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