A Spanish woman who has unsuccessfully restored the image of Christ requires a fee

The Spanish pensioner, famous for the unsuccessful attempt to restore the religious fresco, demands a fee for her work, which has already become a tourist attraction.

Photo: gawker.com

Authorities threatened to sue Ms Cecilia Gimenez for her unauthorized attempt, which she motivated solely with good intentions and a desire to help restore the mural, which was in urgent need of repair.

But the popularity of the “restored” masterpiece grew so much that the Spanish airline Ryanair began to offer cheap flights to Zaragoza airport for everyone who wanted to see the work of a pensioner, who had already been christened “Ecce Mono” (Here’s a monkey).

A petition has even appeared on the Internet calling for the mural to be preserved in its current form. And the local church has already introduced a fee for visiting attractions, in the amount of 4 euros, earning 2,000 euros in the first four days. Ms. Jimenez’s lawyers insist that she should be entitled to a portion of this profit that she intends to spend on charity of her choice.

“She just wants the church to comply with the law,” said lawyer Enrique Trebolla.

Initially, the image of Christ in the crown of thorns was painted by Elias Garcia Martinez, a local artist, over a century ago. Recently, he was badly damaged due to dampness. The descendants of the artist advocate that the fresco be restored and, also, intend to achieve their goal through the court.

Anna Sidorova