Uganda church sets Guinness World Record after clapping non-stop for over three hours

A Ugandan church has set the Guinness World Record for the longest applause while celebrating its ninth anniversary. Members of the Phaneroo Ministries church clapped for a total of three hours and 16 minutes, maintaining an average sound level of 88.5 dB, Guinness World Records said.

“For the attempt to be valid, they had to remain above 80 dB for the entire duration,” Guinness World Records added. The July 30 event dubbed “Clap For Jesus” was organized at a hall in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, with 926 participants. Every participant was required to clap continuously throughout and those who stopped were removed from the group by a steward.

Bathroom breaks were not allowed, Guinness World Records said but added that if a participant became thirsty, a steward would help them by holding a bottle of water to their mouth, which they could sip while still clapping.

The event was live-streamed and viewed by many people across Uganda. “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, the leader of the church, 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.”

Clark Stevens and The Festival of Awesomeness (UK) set the previous record of 2 hours 5 minutes in 2019.