Guinness World Records has confirmed that Ugandan Christian organization – Phaneroo Ministries – is the current world record holder for the longest applause.
On July 30, Phaneroo Ministries led by Apostle Grace Lubega and his team clapped their way into the history books.
They did this as the Ministries marked their ninth anniversary.
At least 926 people gathered at the UMA Multipurpose Hall in Lugogo to take part in this event, dubbed “Clap for Jesus”.
Now, Guinness World Records, a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world, has confirmed that Phaneroo Ministries indeed broke the world record.
“Ugandan group breaks longest applause record by clapping for over three hours,” reads a September 7 news article published on the Guinness World Records website.
“The congregation clapped for a total of 3 hours 16 minutes, maintaining an average sound level of 88.5 dB. For the attempt to be valid, they had to remain above 80 dB for the entire duration,” adds the article.
The previous Guinness World record for the longest applause was 2 hours 5 minutes. It was set in 2019 by Clark Stevens and The Festival of Awesomeness (UK).
During Phaneroo Ministries’ attempt to break the record, every participant was required to clap continuously throughout – if someone stopped, they were removed from the group by a steward.
Bathroom breaks were not permitted, however, if a participant became thirsty, a steward would assist them by holding a bottle of water to their mouth, which they could sip while continuing to clap.
The record attempt was live-streamed and viewed by many people across Uganda, who clapped along to show support.
“In a time where many are struggling as a result of various life events, I wanted to bring people to a place of thanksgiving and celebration,” Grace Lubega said.
“We sought to send a message to the world that regardless of the struggles and difficulties, we must have room for gratitude and thanksgiving. Our primary gratitude is to our Lord and Saviour Jesus in whom we believe.”
The record for the longest applause was originally set in 1991, when Spanish opera singer Plácido Domingo was applauded for 1 hour 20 minutes – through 101 curtain calls – after a performance of Otello at the Vienna Staatsoper on 30 July 1991.
In 2002, the record was broken when German band Grabowsky were applauded for 1 hour 30 minutes after their performance. The band returned to play an encore of two songs after the applause finished.
Any individual or organization can apply to set or break a Guinness World Record. The process begins with filling out an application form. Guinness World Records then dedicates an account manager to guide you through the whole application process.
The applicant then invites an Official Adjudicator to witness their attempt after which evidence is reviewed and the official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Record-Holder certificate is presented.
This is the second time Uganda has been featured in the Guinness World Records in less than two years.
In January 2022, a Ugandan set a world record for the world’s largest rolex (Ugandan popular street food) which weighed 204.6kg and was 2.32m long. The ingredients that went into this mega Rolex included 1,200 eggs, 90kg of vegetables (onions, tomatoes, cabbages, carrots and peppers), 72kg of flour and 40kg of cooking oil.
Ugandan YouTuber, Raymond Kahuma, who led the initiative told the BBC that it took a team of 60 people to get it ready. He mobilized the chefs and bakers who spent 14 hours mixing, kneading, chopping and frying the ingredients in a temporary outdoor kitchen.
