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Cecilia Giménez, Artist Behind 'Monkey Christ' Restoration, Dies at 94

Borja plans to honor her by naming the Ecce Homo centre after her.

Overview

  • Borja officials confirmed the 94-year-old’s death on Tuesday, with Mayor Eduardo Arilla announcing it in a Facebook post.
  • The 2012 Ecce Homo retouch became a viral draw that lifted annual visitors from roughly 5,000 to about 40,000 in 2013, and it still attracts 15,000–20,000 a year.
  • Admission fees and related income have generated about €600,000 for the town, helping fund care‑home places and supporting jobs at the sanctuary museum.
  • Arilla and the local church praised her generosity, with the mayor proposing to name the Ecce Homo centre after her and to consider a street or square in her name.
  • Giménez donated proceeds from sales of her paintings to charity and said the parish priest had authorized her effort, as the saga later inspired exhibitions, documentaries, and a 2023 opera.