They say that love is timeless, and Brazilian couple Manoel Angelim Dino and Maria de Sousa Dino are living proof of that! The couple, now 105 and 101 respectively, have been married for an incredible 84 years and 77 days to set a record for the longest marriage for a living couple (different sexes).
Times were very different when they tied the knot in 1940 at the chapel of Boa Ventura in Ceará, Brazil. The first programmable electronic computer was still yet to be invented, and Brazil hadn’t even won a single FIFA World Cup!
Manoel (b. 1919) and Maria (b. 1923, maiden name Almeida de Souza) first met around 1936 while working in agriculture for their families. Manoel had travelled to the Almeida region in the Boa Viagem district to collect a shipment of rapaduras (a traditional Brazilian candy) where he made her acquaintance, but it wasn’t until some years later that they started a relationship.
In fact, their original meeting did not lead to much at all, and it was only after a chance encounter around 1940 that Manoel decided Maria was the person he wanted to spend his life with. He apparently fell in love at first (well, technically second) sight and was determined not to let the opportunity slip away again, so declared his feelings for Maria and asked her out, to which she said yes.
Manoel on his 103rd birthday
Maria’s mother was initially against the relationship, so Manoel had to earn the trust of her family, and soon began building a home for the future they would share.
After getting the family approval, Manoel and Maria wed in 1940, and built a life together in the home he built, working side-by-side cultivating rolled tobacco to sell and support their growing family. It was a struggle, but they were able to raise 13 children, who later blessed them with 55 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren, and now 12 great-great-grandchildren!
Maria on her 101st birthday
Now both centenarians, their days are spent in peace. Due to his age, Manoel mostly rests during the day, but often joins Maria in the living room in the evening to listen to the rosary prayer on the radio at 6 p.m. followed by the televised mass.
So, what’s the secret to a long-lasting marriage? Well, according to Maria and her family, it’s simple: love. And that’s something even the most advanced computer could never calculate!
A portrait of a young Manoel and Maria
This record was validated by LongeviQuest with the cooperation of the couple's wider family.
As of February 2025, the longest marriage ever (different sexes) is that of David Jacob Hiller (b. 20 October 1789, d. 7 July 1899) and Sarah Davy Hiller (b. 17 March 1792, d. 8 April 1898), who were married for 88 years 349 days until Mrs Hiller’s passing.
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