'Botched' restoration to church Virgin Mary statue sparks huge protests from furious worshippers in Spain.
The restoration of an iconic 17th century statue of the Virgin Mary has sparked huge protests in Seville after worshippers said her makeover left her looking like she had undergone plastic surgery.
The Virgin of La Macarena is one of Spain's most famed Catholic effigies, and many Spaniards travel south every year to catch a glimpse of the wooden figure during the city's Holy Week parades.
So when the Brotherhood of the Macarena unveiled the surprise restoration over the weekend, her devotees were outraged, with critics saying she had been disfigured.
According to her worshippers, her face was given a glossier finish, while her eye lashes were made longer, which they say altered her gaze.
'Her facial expression has completely changed,' one outraged worshipper told Spanish newspaper El Pais. 'It pains me deeply to say it, but she looks like a poor copy of the original.'
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the Basilica de la Macarena on Monday calling for the resignation of the brotherhood's leader.
Footage shows faithful gathered round the church singing hymns about the Virgin as they demanded answers.
'This isn't her; this isn't the Virgin of Seville. It's sad. My heart is about to burst out,' one protester told ABC newspaper. 'They should have left her as she was.'
Catholics in Spain were outraged following the botched restoration of a 17th century religious statue. Image shows the Virgen de la Macarena before undergoing a makeover
Image shows the Virgin after the restoration. Critics say she appears to have longer eyelashes, completely changing her facial expression
Such has been the outrage that the statue is reported to have undergone two more restorations in less than 24 hours to get her back to her original state.
The brotherhood issued an apology and closed the basilica over the weekend, and the Virgin has since emerged with shortened eyelashes after efforts to correct an 'undesired effect.' Mail.
.jpeg)