Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : May 1, 2025 1:13 PM IST
Brazilian Nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, World’s Oldest Person, Dies at 116 – Here’s the Secret to Her Long Life
World's Oldest Nun Death News: The world's oldest person, Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, breathed her last on Wednesday. She was 116. Having barely survived infancy, she had attributed her long life to God.
Her death marks the end of an extraordinary journey that began in 1908, a time when the world was still witnessing the final days of the Edwardian era, and the first Model T Fords had just hit the roads. Her long life, she once said, was a blessing from God, sustained by faith, simplicity, and a lifetime of service. After her passing away, the title of World's Oldest Person now passes to Ethel Caterham, a resident of Surrey, England, who is 115 years old, according to the US Gerontological Research Group (GRG) and the LongeviQuest database.
Born on June 8, 1908, Canabarro became the world's oldest person following the death in January of Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka, who was also aged 116.
Her life also ushers in critical insights into what modern science says about longevity. As per experts the studies have shown that while genetics certainly plays a role, lifestyle factors such as community engagement, emotional well-being, diet, and physical activity -- all play a crucial role in keeping the mind and body healthy. Living a stress-free life is what makes it easy for anyone to live longer.
Studies have shown that individuals who live beyond 100 often share traits such as low levels of chronic stress, regular routines, active social lives, and a sense of purpose. Inah Canabarro Lucas embodied all of these elements naturally.
For her 110th birthday, she received a blessing from Pope Francis, who himself died last Monday aged 88. Although she had claimed her date of birth was May 27, 1908, "her documented birth date according to records is June 8, 1908," GRG director Robert Young told AFP in January.
LongeviQuest said Canabarro had been the 15th-oldest documented person in history, and the second-oldest nun after France's Lucile Randon, who lived to the age of 118 and died in 2023.
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