Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Cecilia Giménez, Painter Behind Borja’s Viral ‘Ecce Homo,’ Dies at 94

Her 2012 repaint turned a little-seen fresco into a global draw that helped finance elder care in Borja.

Overview

  • Local officials and the Santuario de la Misericordia confirmed she died in the Hospital Sancti Spiritus residence in Borja, where she lived with her son.
  • Giménez gained worldwide attention after intervening on a deteriorated Ecce Homo attributed to Elías García Martínez at the Santuario in 2012.
  • The viral image transformed the site into a steady tourist attraction, drawing roughly 10,000 visitors a year and placing the town on the international map.
  • Admission and merchandising proceeds were directed to the Fundación Ecce Homo and the Hospital Sancti Spiritus for facility improvements and support for residents with limited means.
  • Tributes poured in from the foundation and the mayor, and a public funeral was scheduled at Borja’s Church of Santa María on Tuesday.