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The world has bid farewell to Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, the Brazilian nun who held the title of the world's oldest living person. She passed away at the incredible age of 116, as confirmed by her religious order on Wednesday. With a life that stretched across three centuries, Sister Inah was a living connection to a world long past, one where Theodore Roosevelt was still in office and silent films ruled the screens.
Sister Inah became the world's oldest person in January, following the death of Japan's Tomiko Itooka, according to Guinness World Records. Though there was some dispute about her exact birth date—her family insists she was born on May 27, not June 8 as her records state—there is no question about the remarkable span of her life.
A frail child once thought too weak to survive, she defied all odds. She devoted her youth to religious service and went on to become a teacher, shaping countless lives over the decades—including that of General João Figueiredo, who later governed Brazil as a military dictator. Throughout her life, Sister Inah attributed her longevity to her unshakeable Catholic faith, once stating that God was "the secret of everything."
She lived in various parts of South America, including Montevideo and Rio de Janeiro, before returning to her home state of Rio Grande do Sul. Her dedication to her local football club, Sport Club Internacional, earned her yearly celebrations from the team, who remembered her in a touching tribute for her "kindness, faith and love."
In 2018, on her 110th birthday, she received a blessing from Pope Francis—a testament to her status not only as a historical figure but a beloved one.
Following her passing, British great-grandmother Ethel Caterham, aged 115, now holds the title of the world's oldest living person. Guinness World Records noted that Caterham is believed to be the last surviving person born in 1909.
Though Sister Inah is now gone, her legacy lives on not just in record books but in the generations she taught, inspired, and loved. Her life was a testament to resilience, devotion, and faith—an extraordinary journey of 116 years that has finally come to a peaceful close.
