Guinness World Records announced on Monday that a French nun has officially become the world’s oldest person aged 118 years and 73 days.
Sister Lucile Randon, born February 11, 1904, broke the record for oldest living person after the death of Japanese Kane Tanaka at age 119 years and 107 days.
Lucile, who took the name Sister André in 1944 when she decided to become a Catholic nun, is the thirdoldest French and thirdoldest European of all time.
The nun lives a full life and during her youth worked as a teacher, governess and cared for children during World War II. After the conflict she worked for 28 years with orphans and the elderly in a hospital in Vichy, France before turning to religious life.
She spent most of her life in the service of the Church. The nun already held the record for the oldest living nun.
wine every day
Sister Lucile now lives in a nursing home in Toulon, a port city in southeastern France. She is partially deaf and uses a wheelchair, but wants to keep her mind active.
“They wake me up at 7 a.m., give me my breakfast and put me at my desk, where I do little things,” Sister Lucile told Guinness World Records.
Nursing home staff said she still gets a glass of wine every day. “Your glass of wine keeps you going and maybe that’s your secret to longevity. I don’t know, I don’t encourage people to have a glass of wine every day,” said a nursing home worker.
The oldest person ever, Jeanne Louise Calment of France, was born in 1875 and died at the age of 122 years and 164 days.
In an interview with AFP news agency, Sister Lucile’s counselor David Tavela said the nun was a fortunate person, having had a life full of experiences and learning so far. And there is much more to discover. “It’s just one more step because your goal is to defeat Jeanne Calment,” he said.
With the Guinness title as the oldest person, Sister Lucile has as her likely competitor a 115yearold Polish sister trying to catch up with the French.
Brazilian competitors
Even at the age of 120, Josefa continues to smoke and copes well with it
Image: Reproduction/Universa
After the death of Kane Tanaka, the Guinness Book announced that it would investigate who could be the oldest person who can now fill the position left by the Japanese.
In Brazil, there are two women who attract attention for their longevity but have never had a recognized record. The first is Josefa Maria da Conceição, a pensioner and former farmer who lives with her family in Maceió and who turned 120 in February.
According to the reports of the children, consulted by the UOL In 2019, the elderly lady was in good health, especially spiritually, as she showed full clarity in her speeches. Nevertheless, Josefa has the habit of mainly smoking straw cigarettes, as she refuses industrial cigarettes.
Dona Belinha, who is a member of the Evangelical Church, turned 120 in 2021
Image: Reproduction/personnel file
Isabel Alves de Carvalho also has documents classifying her as 120 years old. She lives in Bacabal, Maranhão and tries to live an active and healthy life as she does not consume alcoholic beverages and tobacco. In addition to attending the evangelical church, to which he has been faithful for 50 years.
Isabel, nicknamed Belinha, celebrated another year of life with her family last August. According to loved ones, each party has special meaning because it marks another year in which the elderly woman defies all statistics. Still, she makes the most of the celebration and doesn’t skimp on her favorite dessert: cake.
“She likes to party. She was just looking for cake. She loves cake. At the moment she eats more soup and porridge. But she loves a cup of coffee with bread,” said Maria Reis, Isabel’s tutor.