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The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age 94.

The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, became a global sensation 13 years ago after she undertook to repaint a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo located in her parish church.

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

Local Confirmation and Homage

The 94-year-old's passing was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate lover of painting from a very early age".

"Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.

Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to repaint the work over".

The Artwork's History and the Fateful Act

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

In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members 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 anyone who entered the church would have seen she was applying paint to the original image.

An Unexpected Economic Lifeline

The aftermath of the repaint job spawned the "Monkey Christ" meme and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination.

The town, which had previously welcomed just five thousand tourists per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest.

Currently, officials say that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to view the notorious portrait, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.

Legacy and Community Admiration

Following the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez later hold an art exhibition showcasing twenty-eight of her personal paintings.

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

Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed art repair forged an improbable cultural icon and provided unprecedented attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.