The oldest man in the world turned 113 on May 27 and he is passionate about his faith, praying the Rosary twice every day. Juan Vicente Pérez, from Venezuela, was officially confirmed as the oldest person living (male) at 112 years and 253 days, as of 4 February 2022.

Juan says his family and friends are his greatest life companions and that the greatest thing he has learned in life is “the love of God, the love of family, and that we must get up early to work.”

In an article published on May 17 on the Guinness World Records website, Mora said his secret to living a long life is to "work hard, rest on holidays, go to bed early, drink a glass of aguardiente every day, love God, and always carry him in your heart."

Born in El Cobre, Táchira, Venezuela on 27 May 1909, Juan, the ninth child of ten to Eutiquio del Rosario Pérez Mora and Edelmira Mora, celebrated his 113th birthday recently.

In 1914 they moved to Los Pajuiles, a village in San José de Bolivar. When Mora was 5 years old, he started to work with his father and siblings in agriculture, specifically coffee harvesting and sugar cane.

At 10, he began school but was only able to attend for five months because his teacher became very ill. However, Mora was able to learn how to read and write thanks to a book his teacher had given him prior to her health declining.

Mora was also a sheriff in Caricuena from 1948 to 1958.

He was married to Ediofina del Rosario García for 60 years. She passed away in 1997. The couple had six sons and five daughters. The family has now grown to include 41 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.

Among his family, Mora is known for his faith. He strives to build a solid relationship with God, his relatives, and he prays the rosary twice a day.

“My Uncle Vicente transmits a lot of peace, tranquility and radiates a lot of joy,” his nephew Freddy Abreu told CNA’s Spanish-language sister agency ACI Prensa. “He’s a person who has a lot to give. He enjoys the simple things in life and is very grateful to God.”

He wants to be remembered as a hard-working man, faithful to his wife and his religion.

The oldest person in the world, and the oldest woman in the world, is French nun Sister Andre Randon who was born on Feb. 11, 1904. She is 118 years old.
-CNA