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By Theo Burman
Live News Reporter
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Russell M. Nelson, the oldest living leader of a major religion, turned 100 on Monday.
Nelson, who has been the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 2018, is also the oldest ever leader of the Mormons. He is older than both the Pope, who is 87, and the Dalai Lama, who is 89.
The LDS church is marking the occasion by holding a "special birthday broadcast," saying: "Throughout his life, President Nelson has been a living example of caring for the one as both a disciple of Jesus Christ and a world-renowned heart surgeon."
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"The 75-minute broadcast on September 9 will celebrate the life and teachings of this latter-day prophet whose life and ministry continually exemplify God's love for each of His children.
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Newsweek contacted the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for further comment.
Who Is Russell M. Nelson?
Born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Nelson was a heart surgeon before he became a religious figurehead. He served in several senior leadership positions within the Mormon church, including as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since 1984.
Under his presidency, the church has announced reforms such as reducing the length of church meetings, altering the way missionaries are called, and modifying policies on temple ceremonies.
Nelson has also emphasized a return to using the church's full name, discouraging the use of informal terms like "Mormon."
As leader of the church during the COVID-19 pandemic he had to navigate the religion's complex relationship with vaccinations and mask mandates.
In 2023, Nelson spoke on the issue of his advancing age, describing his position as one that is natural for religious figures. He also said that he would rely more heavily on pre-recorded messages.
Nelson said: "As senior leaders in the Church, we are called to serve for the remainder of our lives, often long beyond 'retirement age'. This means that you may see some of us during general conference speak while sitting down, or pre-record our message to be shared at the appropriate time, or even require a little assistance getting to and from our seats in the conference center."
Who Are the Oldest Religious Leaders in the World?
Russell M. Nelson tops the list of oldest living religious figures, closely followed by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, a Buddhist leader, who was born just three years after the Mormon president. The 1o oldest major religious leaders alive today are:
- Russell M. Nelson – President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Born September 9, 1924 (Age: 100)
- Ariyavongsagatanana IX – Supreme Patriarch of Thailand (Thai Buddhism) – Born June 26, 1927 (Age: 97)
- Anastasios Yannoulatos – Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania (Eastern Orthodox Church) – Born November 4, 1929 (Age: 94)
- Ilia II – Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (Georgian Orthodox Church) – Born January 4, 1933 (Age: 91)
- Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama – Spiritual Leader of Tibetan Buddhism – Born July 6, 1935 (Age: 89)
- Pope Francis – Pope of the Roman Catholic Church – Born December 17, 1936 (Age: 87)
- Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I – Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (Eastern Orthodox Church) – Born February 29, 1940 (Age: 84)
- Bechara Boutros al-Rahi – Maronite Patriarch of Antioch (Maronite Church) – Born February 25, 1940 (Age: 84)
- Patriarch Kirill of Moscow – Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (Russian Orthodox Church) – Born November 20, 1946 (Age: 78)
- Theodore II – Patriarch of Alexandria (Greek Orthodox Church) – Born November 25, 1954 (Age: 70)
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