118-Year-Old Nun Has Been Announced As World’s Oldest Person

A 118-year-old nun from France has been declared the world's oldest person after the former title-holder passed away this week.

Lucile Randon, known as Sister Andre, currently lives at a nursing home in Toulon and begins every day with breakfast and a morning mass.

She can no longer see but has lived through many astounding and global events after being welcomed into the world on 11 February 11, 1904, an entire decade before World War I.

In spite of her impressive age, Sister Andre did not become the world's oldest person until the passing of Kane Tanaka on 19 April, at an incredible 119 years.

Laurent Toussaint, a computer scientist and amateur tracker for the IDL and the French institute of demographic studies (INED), said that with Tanaka's death Sister Andre 'indeed becomes the oldest, and by far, since the next oldest is a Polish woman who is 115', France24 reports.

The elderly woman is said to be 'happy' with the title, according to David Tavella, communications director of Sister Andre's nursing home. He said she 'likes very much this attention', though made clear Lucile doesn't plan to stop there as he added: "But it's just another step, because her real goal is to overtake Jeanne Calment."

Calment is a French woman who was 122 years old when she died in 1997, meaning Sister Andre has another four years to go to reach her goal.

In her younger years Sister Andre worked as a governess in Paris before she took her religious vows with the Daughters of Charity. This year, the nun received a handwritten New Year's greeting from President Emmanuel Macron – one of the many letters and boxes of chocolates she has received from well-wishers.

In an AFP interview for her 118th birthday, Sister Andre said: "I was always admired for my wisdom and intelligence, but now people could care less because I'm stubborn. I'm thinking of getting out of this business but they won't let me."

Guinness World Records announced the death of Tanaka on Monday, explaining the 119-year-old had recently been 'hospitalized and discharged repeatedly'.

In a tweet posted by her family, Tanaka is said to have commented: "I was able to come this far with the support of many people. I hope you will continue to have fun, [and be] cheerful and energetic."

Tanaka was born on 2 January 1903 and lived in her later life at a rest home in Fukuoka, Japan.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: World News, Guinness World Record, Health

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is the Community Desk Lead at LADbible Group. Emily first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route. She went on to graduate with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University before contributing to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems. She joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features, and now works as Community Desk Lead to commission and write human interest stories from across the globe.