Nicholas Kao Se Tseien
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Nicholas Kao Se Tseien (Chinese: 高師謙, born January 15, 1897) is a Chinese catholic priest living in Hong Kong, who, according to the Guinness World Records, is both the oldest Catholic priest and oldest person to have a cataract operation in the world. In 2007, he celebrated his 110th birthday, and, in doing so, he reached supercentenarian status.
Born in Fuzhou, Fujian province, Kao was one of four brothers, and was converted to catholicism at age 18 while attending a school run by Spanish Dominican friars. Although trained as a teacher and studying law at night, he decided to become a priest after the death of a dear friend, a Spanish friar.
His priest life brought him from mainland to Taiwan, Malaysia and, finally, Hong Kong. He has been a priest in Our Lady of Joy Abbey on Lantau Island for more than 30 years.
In a life bridging three centuries, he lives through ten popes and two Chinese emperors, and voted for Sun Yat-sen as president of China in 1912.
[edit] References
- An interview by The Standard, October 8, 2005
- (Italian) Reportage at Vatican Radio, January 18, 2007
