Ecce Mono

proper noun

A nickname for the ecce homo (depiction of Jesus with a crown of thorns) in the Sanctuary of Mercy church in Borja, Spain, a fresco painted circa 1930 by the Spanish painter Elías García Martínez and attempted to be restored by Cecilia Giménez, an untrained amateur artist, in 2012.

OriginLatin homō ← Spanish mono →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. derogatoryhumorousA nickname for the ecce homo (depiction of Jesus with a crown of thorns) in the Sanctuary of Mercy church in Borja, Spain, a fresco painted circa 1930 by the Spanish painter Elías García Martínez and attempted to be restored by Cecilia Giménez, an untrained amateur artist, in 2012.

    Giménez, an elderly amateur artist, botched the intervention so badly that mockers have dubbed the painting Ecce Mono (“Behold the monkey”).

    [2019, Bradley Jersak, A More Christlike Way: A More Beautiful Faith, Pasadena, Calif.: Plain Truth Ministries, →ISBN
    5 more examples

    The heartfelt but awful result was described as “a furry alien Neanderthal,” “Ewok Jesus,” and, ultimately, “Ecce Mono” (Behold the Monkey). Martínez’s descendants and the church were distressed, but the story endeared the world to “Ecce Mono.”

    2013, Sarah Janssen, editor, The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2013, New York, N.Y.: World Almanac® Books, Infobase Learning, →ISBN

    “That’s what people call it. The worst restoration job ever. Un fracaso. The old woman says the priest gave her permission. He denies it. They are bringing in experts to see if it can be saved. The piece is an Ecce Homo. Behold the man. But people now call it Ecce Mono. Behold the monkey.” […] “That’s why you took me to the Ecce Mono. You didn’t just happen to stop in my café. Gonzáles sent you. You never cared about me, you were keeping an eye on the mask. That’s why you’re here now. Not for me. For the mask.”

    2016, Lili Wright, Dancing with the Tiger, London: Harvill Secker, →ISBN, pages 207 and 278

    Split-screens of the mural before and after the ‘restoration’ tickled the funny bone of people worldwide, who dubbed it ‘Ecce Mono’ (behold the monkey) and ‘the Beast Christ’.

    [2017 August, Secret Marvels of the World: 360 Extraordinary Places You Never Knew Existed and How to Find Them, Lonely Planet Global Limited, →ISBN

    Jimnénez’s^([sic]) restoration, which, to be fair, looks nothing like Martínez’s original, was immediately mocked around the world with the monikers Monkey Christ or Ecce Mono.

    [2018, Jeffrey Taylor, Visual Arts Management (Mastering Management in the Creative and Cultural Industries), Abingdon, Oxon; New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN

    So popular was Giménez’s handiwork, that budget airline Ryanair offered special flight deals to nearby Zaragoza, for those wanting to make the pilgrimage to see Ecce Homo. The purists amongst us will question why so many are visiting. We know the answer—to have a laugh and take a ‘selfie’ with Ecce Mono (Behold the Monkey) as Martinez’s^([sic]) painting is often now referred to as.

    2019, Penelope Jackson, “She Vandals”, in Females in the Frame: Women, Art, and Crime, Palgrave Macmillan, →ISBN, page 73

Origin

  1. Spanishmono“monkey”
  2. Latinhomō“man”
  3. EnglishEcce Mono

By replacing Latin homō (“man”) of ecce homō (“behold the man”) with Spanish mono (“monkey”).

More words from Latin, Spanish

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Ecce Mono. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ecce%20Mono

MLA

“Ecce Mono.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ecce%20Mono. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ecce Mono,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ecce%20Mono.

Source: Ecce Mono on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.