World’s Oldest Person, Brazilian Nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, Dies at 116

Born on June 8, 1908, Canabarro overcame early health struggles to begin a life of faith, taking her vows in Montevideo at age 20.

2nd of May 2025

The World’s Oldest person, Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, died on Wednesday at the age of 116, having barely survived infancy and dedicating her long life to God. She was bestowed with the title of World’s Oldest Person after the death of Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka in January, who was also 116.

Canabarro’s journey of faith and belief

Canabarro was born on 8th June 1908 and was known as a frail child and many doubted, she would survive. However, she pursued a life of faith, beginning her religious journey at 16 and taking her vows in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1928.

She later joined the Congregation of Teresian Sisters in 1934 and dedicated her life to teaching and community service in Brazil. She became a nun in 1934 at the age of 26, between World Wars I and II. The news about her death was confirmed by the Congregation of Teresian Sisters of Brazil in Porto Alegre. They announced about her passing, extending thanks to her for the ‘dedication and devotion’ she had shown in her life.

As per the LongeviQuest, Canabarro had been the 15th-oldest documented person in history. Also, she is the second-oldest nun after France’s Lucile Randon, who lived to the age of 118 and died in 2023. After Lucas’ death, the tag has now passed to Ethel Caterham, a resident of Surrey, England, who is 115 years old, as per the US Gerontological Research Group (GRG) and the LongeviQuest database.

World extends condolences

After the news about her passing went viral, people from across the world extended condolences and hailed her a ‘strong lady’ who lived her life with faith, passion and dedication. As an individual wrote, “Rest in Peace. May God bless the noble soul. The world needs such pure hearted souls in the world, they are lacking. Rest in peace and life perpetual shine on her.” Another noted, “Rest well sister, you had an interesting and a very informative journey. God bless your soul.”

“Such a brave and strong lady, she is, the world has less. RIP brave soul. World needs to be blessed with more strong and noble souls like these,” wrote another user.