World’s oldest person, Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, dies at 116

Inah Canabarro Lucas, a Brazilian nun celebrated as the world’s oldest living person, has died at the age of 116, her religious congregation confirmed.

The Congregation of Teresian Sisters of Brazil released a statement on Monday announcing her passing and paying tribute to her life of “dedication and devotion.”

Lucas spent her final years in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, where she had lived for decades.

Born on June 8, 1908, Lucas officially became the world’s oldest person earlier this year after the death of Japanese supercentenarian Tomiko Itooka, who was also 116.

The title of the world’s oldest person now passes to Ethel Caterham, a 115-year-old woman living in Surrey, England, according to the Gerontological Research Group (GRG) and the longevity tracking organization LongeviQuest.

Lucas had long claimed May 27, 1908, as her birth date, but researchers at GRG confirmed her official birth record lists June 8, 1908. GRG director Robert Young verified the documentation after previous discrepancies were resolved.

Known for her quiet faith and lifelong service, Lucas credited her extraordinary longevity to “faith in God.” On her 110th birthday, she received a special apostolic blessing from Pope Francis—who himself passed away last week at the age of 88.

Lucas’s passing marks the end of an era in the global community of supercentenarians. Her life, spanning three centuries and countless global transformations, leaves behind a legacy of grace, resilience, and devotion.