Botched restoration of religious statues is so bad it’s now a tourist attraction in Brazil

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Okay, so there’s this story going around that a church in Brazil tried to restore some old religious statues, and… well, it didn’t go well. Seriously, the results are wild! Everyone online is saying they look like that really messed up “Monkey Christ” painting – you know, the one that’s just…off. It’s become a huge meme, and honestly, I can see why!

After a restoration of the Calvario monument in Carmo do Cajuru, Minas Gerais, people noticed a surprising change: the sculptures, once all white, now had painted eyebrows, eyelashes, lips, and other facial features. Photos of the updated monument quickly went viral on social media.

The statues show scenes of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and are noted for being relatively simple in design. But a recent cleaning and repair caused quite a shock among locals, leading the city council to release a statement about the work.

Religious statues receive unfortunate makeover

The town of Carmo do Cajuru wants to make it clear that it didn’t order, approve, or ask for the artwork that’s currently on the Calvary monument in Nossa Senhora Aparecida Square, also known as Cruzeiro Square.

They added that the Municipal Administration is not liable for any work done at the site.

According to the New York Post, the parish council acknowledged the restored paint job upset many churchgoers and local residents, and subsequently requested it be repainted.

A botched restoration of religious statues in Brazil has left Jesus, Mary, and several saints looking like they have bulging eyes, thick eyebrows, and bright red lips. Following public criticism, the parish church removed the paint and pledged to address the issue.

— Cerfia (@CerfiaFR) June 16, 2026

I was so shocked when I first saw the restored statue – honestly, the face just didn’t look right! Apparently, the church agreed and quickly tried to fix it. It’s crazy though, because even with all the controversy, around 250,000 people still came to see the statues for themselves. Talk about a spectacle!

After the recent changes, the parish has covered the statues and is now searching for someone to properly restore them.

This situation is being compared to the infamous restoration of a painting in Spain back in 2012. That project, nicknamed “Monkey Christ” online, involved an attempt to fix a damaged image of Jesus that accidentally turned it into a popular internet meme and drew tourists from everywhere.

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2026-06-16 18:20