A couple in Brazil, both over a hundred years old, have been married for more than 84 years, truly embodying the concept of growing old together. They have broken the Guinness World Record for the longest marriage with the beautiful times they have shared together.
According to a report on the Guinness World Records website on February 14th, the Brazilian couple are 105-year-old Manoel Angelim Dino and 101-year-old Maria de Sousa Dino. They have been married for a remarkable 84 years and 77 days, setting a new record for the longest marriage of a living couple in the world.
Manoel and Maria were born in 1919 and 1926, respectively. They first met around 1936 but only started dating a few years later, deciding to spend their lives together.
Maria’s mother initially opposed their relationship, so Manoel had to win her family’s trust. He soon built a house as a love nest where they could live together in the future.
After gaining approval from Maria’s family, Manoel and Maria got married in a church in Boa Ventura, Brazil in 1940. They lived in the house Manoel had built, making a living by planting and selling tobacco.
The era they lived in was very different from today; computers hadn’t been invented yet, and Brazil had not yet won the FIFA World Cup.
Despite facing hardships in life, this couple raised 13 children. Today, they have 55 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren, and 12 great-great-grandchildren.
Manoel and Maria, both now over a hundred years old, lead a peaceful life. Due to their advanced age, Manoel spends most of his days resting, but they often gather in the living room in the evenings to listen to the radio broadcast of the Rosary prayer and watch the televised mass.
So what is the secret to their long-lasting marriage? Their family says it’s a simple word – love. It’s something that even the most advanced computers cannot calculate.
Before Manoel and Maria, the longest marriage record in history was held by David and Sarah Hiller. They got married in Canada in 1809 and their marriage lasted until Sarah passed away on April 8, 1898, after 88 years and 349 days.