The world’s oldest known person, Inah Canabarro Lucas, a Brazilian nun, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 116, according to longevity organizations LongeviQuest and the US Gerontological Research Group (GRG).
Born June 8, 1908, Canabarro lived through two World Wars and countless global changes, having joined the Congregation of Teresian Sisters of Brazil in 1934 at the age of 26. Despite a frail childhood that cast doubt on her survival, she lived well into three centuries, attributing her extraordinary lifespan to her unwavering faith in God, the support of her religious order, and divine providence.
Her congregation, based in Porto Alegre, announced her death in a heartfelt statement, expressing gratitude for “the dedication and devotion” she showed throughout her life. LongeviQuest, in its obituary, remembered her as someone who overcame the odds early in life, and who consistently credited her longevity to her spiritual life, famously saying: “He is the secret of life. He is the secret of everything.”
She received a papal blessing from Pope Francis for her 110th birthday. Pope Francis himself passed away earlier this week, at the age of 88.
Although Canabarro claimed she was born on May 27, official records confirm her birth date as June 8, 1908, according to GRG director Robert Young.
With her passing, the title of the world’s oldest living person now goes to Ethel Caterham, a 115-year-old woman residing in Surrey, England.
Canabarro is recognized as the 15th-oldest documented person in history, and the second-oldest nun ever recorded, after France’s Lucile Randon, who died at 118 in 2023.