World's oldest person, sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, dies at 116
Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, acknowledged as the oldest person in the world, passed away on 30th April 2025 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. She was 116 years old. Her position as the oldest person globally has now been taken by British Ethel Caterham, who is one year her junior.
What you need to know
- Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas passed away on 30th April 2025 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. She was 116 years old and recognised as the world's oldest person, according to researchers from the LongeviQuest group.
- The new oldest person in the world is British Ethel Caterham. Born on 21st August 1909, she is currently 115 years old.
- The oldest living man is Brazilian Joao Marinho Neto. He was born in 1912.
The secret of longevity of Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas
Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, born on 27th May 1908 in Brazil, according to LongeviQuest, a group of researchers studying people living beyond a hundred years, was the oldest person in the world. Furthermore, she ranked in the top 20 of the longest-living people in history.
Inah Canabarro Lucas was a Teresian nun and a well-known football fan. Her favourite club was the local Internacional.
In an interview with ACI Digital in March 2024, she emphasised that the secret of her longevity was faith and daily prayer for all people in the world.
Who is now the oldest person in the world?
After Sister Inah's death, the title of the oldest person in the world was taken by British Ethel Caterham, born on 21st August 1909. She is currently 115 years old. The oldest living man is Brazilian Joao Marinho Neto, born in 1912.
The longest-living person was Jeanne Calment, who lived to be 122 years old.
