In Mexico, an artist has taken up the almost impossible task of bringing the wonders of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel to Mexico City. He has spent the last 12 years decorating a local church with a reproduction of the Italian's emblematic frescoes. Everyone knows it's not the original masterpiece, but for them it's close enough.

In Mexico, an artist has taken up the almost impossible task of bringing the wonders of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel to Mexico City.

This is the only known replica of Michelangelo's painting masterpiece: the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

"The Creation of Adam" is adorning the ceiling of a simple little church in Mexico City. It is the work of a retired local graphic designer, Miguel Macias.

He explored dozens of temples and found this small parish, the only church in Mexico known to have the same dimensions of the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling is the only exception, which at 10 metres high is half the height of the Sistine Chapel's.

Macias said, "This church here has the same exact measurements, so I took it upon myself to paint a reproduction not with the same technique as Michelangelo used, which is a fresco painting, but with acrylic techniques. But we are trying to make it as similar to Michelangelo's paintings as possible."

While Michelangelo took four years to complete his masterpiece with the aid of various assistants, after 12 years of planning, outlining, sketching, drawing and painting, Miguel has only completed about half of the work with the occasional help of a few volunteers.

Miguel estimates that it might take him another five years to complete the project.

Mexican parish priest Salvador Garcia said, "Our admiration goes to what this work of art represents, created by one single man who has dedicated body and soul to this task."

The artist can afford to buy brushes, pencils, fabric and paints thanks to donations, mainly from parishioners who love their bit of Vatican greatness in their local church.

His intention was simple: to bring a bit of the greatness of Rome this side of the Atlantic.

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