Cecilia Giménez, the Aragonese who in 2012 attempted to restore Ecce Homo de Borja, died at the age of 94 in the Sancti Spiritus retirement home, where she lived.
Cecilia Giménez’s leap of faith catapulted her and the small town … The Aragonese became famous in 2012, thanks to the intervention of Ecce Homo. A small fresco by Elías Martínez dating from the beginning of the 20th century and which decorated one of the walls of the church of the Sanctuary of the Misericordia in the city.
“I didn’t want to take advantage of it”
Although at first the controversial intervention caused a sensation due to the heritage damage suffered by the fresco, the truth is that it put Borja on the map. They got there, who knows if they are attracted by morbidity or curiosity, national and international tourists. Even in Japan, candies wrapped in the face of Ecce Homo were sold. “I didn’t want to take advantage of what happened,” Cecilia Giménez herself told ABC a year after the media storm.
“A very well-meaning neighbor decided, at her own risk and expense, to restore the fresco which, in reality, was in poor condition due to the humidity of the temple,” the city’s cultural advisor explained to ABC radio Punto at the time.
“In Borja, at first, we thought he was a thug. When they found out what was behind it and that it was my aunt, because people love her very much and know the life that she led, they started to defend her and did everything possible to make sure that no one hurt her,” Marisa, her niece, recalled years later on ABC.
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