Paladia Noja, Romania’s Oldest Resident, Turns 111

Paladia Noja, the oldest living person in Romania, is celebrating her 111th birthday today in Cugir, Alba County.

Paladia Noja was born in Cugir, Alba County, Romania, on 20 July 1915. As a child, she worked in the fields, tended to animals, and helped her family with daily chores. In her youth, she spent three years in Timișoara, where two of her siblings lived—one was an engineer, and the other a sister who had married and settled there. They encouraged her to stay in the city and even offered to help her secure a job at the Post Office, but she chose to return home.

She was married for 45 years to her husband, Simion Noja, who passed away from a heart attack in 1989 at the age of 81. Together, they had four children. She was a devoted housewife all her life, caring for the household by cooking, gardening, and sewing. Although she did tailoring work, it was mostly for her household and neighbors. In exchange for her sewing, people would bring her goods like milk and potatoes. She continued using her sewing machine well into her centenarian years and worked in the garden until she was nearly 100.

On 27 May 2026, following the passing of 112-year-old Ilie Ciocan, she became the oldest living person in Romania.

She was born on 20 July 1915 in Cugir, Alba County, then Austria-Hungary.

She is Romania's Oldest Living Person.

On 25 November 2023, following the death of 108-year-old Viorica Hogas, she became the oldest living woman in Romania.

On 3 July 2025, at the age of 109 years, 348 days, she surpassed the final age of Elena Lungoci (1895–2005), becoming the oldest woman ever in Romania.

On 23 January 2026, following the death of 110-year-old Ms. Baukovic of Serbia, she became the oldest known living woman in the Balkans.

On 27 May 2026, following the death of 112-year-old Mr. Ciocan, she became the oldest known living person in Romania.

Happy 111th Birthday!