After the recent death of Friar Lucjan KRÓLIKOWSKI, our centenary dean, the General Secretariat heard from a number of friars wanting to know who was now the oldest friar in our Order.

After the recent death of Friar Lucjan KRÓLIKOWSKI, our centenary dean, the General Secretariat heard from a number of friars wanting to know who was now the oldest friar in our Order.
We have searched our database and it appears that our oldest friar is now Friar Ilario MORATTI from the Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua (Northern Italy). Friar Ilario was born January 13, 1920. In second place, just few months younger than Friar Ilario, is Friar Giordano TOLLARDO, also from the Italian Province of St. Anthony. Friar Giordano was born August 11, 1920. In third place we have Friar Luigi IANNITTO from the Provincial Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land. Friar Luigi was born January 5, 1921. Coming in fourth, only three days younger than Friar Luigi (!), is Friar Gianfrancesco LONGHIN, also from the Italian Province of St. Anthony. Friar Gianfrancesco was born January 8, 1921. Coming in fifth is Friar Abdias MENDES RODRIGUES from the Provincial Custody of St. Bonaventure in Brazil. Friar Abdias was born December 8, 1921.
Sixth place belongs to Friar Maksymilian JANUSZKIEWICZ from Province of St. Anthony and Blessed James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow). Friar Maksymilian was born May 7, 1922. The seventh oldest is Friar Ignacy REJCH from the Province of the Immaculate Mother of God in Poland (Warsaw). Friar Ignacy was born January 2, 1923.
There are four more friars who were born in 1923 and are just a little younger than Friar Ignacy. They are Friars Giovanni RICCIARDI from the Province of the Seraphic Father St. Francis in Italy (Naples); Massimiliano CHILIN from the Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land; Dionisio LATTANZI from the Province of St. Bernardine and St. Angelo in Italy (Abruzzo); and Emilio MACCIONI from the Italian Province of St. Francis of Assisi (Central Italy).
The Italian Province of St. Anthony of Padua and the Custody of the Orient and the Holy Land have the largest number of our oldest friars. Could the Mediterranean diet be the secret of their longevity? Or is it some other factor? In any event, plurimos annos to everyone!

The General Secretariat