The oldest known person, a French nun named Sister André, passed away on Tuesday January 17 in the southern city of Toulon at the age of 118.
The announcement of her loss was made on Twitter by the city’s mayor, Hubert Falco, who wrote: “it is with immense sadness and emotion that I learnt tonight of the passing of the world’s oldest person #SisterAndré.”
According to the nun’s spokesman, David Tavella, she lived close to Toulon and died on Tuesday at 2 a.m. local time. “There is a great deal of sadness, but she wanted it to happen because she wanted to be with her dear brother. Freedom for her,” Tavella remarked.
Sister André, who was born as Lucile Randon on February 11, 1904, spent the majority of her life serving the church, according to a statement made public by Guinness in April 2022.
She cared for children during World War II beforebecoming a catholic nun. She subsequently worked for 28 years in a hospital providing care for elderly patients and orphans.
According to Guinness, she was also the oldest nun to have ever lived.
When she turned 118 in 2022, the nun received a handwritten birthday note from French President Emmanuel Macron, the 18th French president of her lifetime. Additionally, since her birth, the Catholic Church has had ten different Popes preside over it.
After Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman who had been recognized as the world’s oldest person, passed away on April 19, 2022 at the age of 119, Sister André surpassed her as the oldest person in the world.
A French woman also holds the record for the oldest person ever documented. According to a statement from Guinness World Records, Jeanne Louise Calment, who was born on February 21, 1875, lived for 122 years and 164 days.
Author-Roberta Appiah
