Nicholas Kao Se Tseien
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Nicholas Kao Se Tseien | |
Born | January 15, 1897 Foochow, Fukien, China |
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Died | December 11, 2007 (aged 110) Hong Kong |
Occupation | Catholic priest |
Nicholas Kao Se Tseien, Chinese: 高師謙 (January 15, 1897 – December 11, 2007)[1] was a Chinese Catholic priest living in Hong Kong who was both the oldest Catholic priest in modern times and the oldest ever person to have had a cataract operation.[citation needed]
In 2007, he celebrated his 110th birthday, and, in doing so, he reached supercentenarian status. He was, from October 13, 2007 until his death, the second-oldest man in Asia and the seventh-oldest man in the world.
Born in Fuzhou, Fujian province, Kao, one of four brothers, converted to Roman Catholicism at age 18 while attending a school run by Spanish Dominican friars. Although trained as a teacher and studying law at night, he ultimately decided to become a priest.
His clerical life brought him from China to Taiwan, Malaysia and, finally, Hong Kong. He was a priest in Our Lady of Joy Abbey (Trappist Haven Monastery) on Lantau Island for more than 30 years.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- An interview by The Standard, October 8, 2005
- (Italian) Reportage at Vatican Radio, January 18, 2007
- Kao's photo on The Standard