Cecilia Giménez, the Spanish woman whose attempted restoration of a church mural became one of the most famous art stories of the internet age, has passed away at the age of 94.

Giménez rose to international attention in 2012 after she attempted to restore a 19th-century mural of Christ, painted by Elías García Martínez, in the Santuario de Misericordia church in Borja, northeast Spain.

The result became an internet sensation because of its unusual appearance, earning nicknames such as “Monkey Christ” and “Ecce Mono”.

Her passing was confirmed by Borja’s mayor, Eduardo Arilla, who praised her lifelong love of painting and devotion to her community.

The intense public reaction took a heavy toll on Giménez. Reports at the time said she suffered severe anxiety and lost a significant amount of weight as the story spread globally.

However, the unexpected fame later brought positive outcomes. Interest in the mural turned Borja into a major tourist destination, with thousands visiting the church each year.

The number of tourists increased from around 5,000 annually before the incident to more than 40,000 by 2013.

The church began charging admission, and the money raised helped fund local services, including places at the town’s care home for elderly residents.

Giménez herself benefited from the renewed interest, selling her own artwork online and donating the proceeds to a Catholic charity.

In 2023, her story inspired an opera, Behold the Man, which premiered in Las Vegas. Although Giménez was too unwell to attend, her family was present to represent her.

Paying tribute, Borja’s mayor, Eduardo Arilla, said she had lived a difficult life, having been widowed young and raising two disabled children.

The local church described her as “a devoted mother” whose generosity won affection around the world. Plans are now in place to name the Ecce Homo centre in her honour.