Sister Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun, has been confirmed as the world’s oldest living person by LongeviQuest, an organization that tracks supercentenarians globally. Born on 27 May 1908, Sister Canabarro is nearly 117 years old and has been recognized as the oldest living person following the death of Japan’s Tomiko Itooka in December. Despite being wheelchair-bound, Sister Canabarro remains lively and engaging, often cracking jokes and sharing stories about her life.
Sister Canabarro’s life has been marked by her strong Catholic faith, which she credits as the secret to her longevity. She has spent most of her life dedicated to religious work, teaching, and creating marching bands at schools in Brazil and Uruguay. Her great-grandfather was a famed Brazilian general, and she has even had the honor of being recognized by Pope Francis on her 110th birthday. Locally, Sister Canabarro is celebrated as the oldest fan of the soccer club Inter, and her room is decorated with gifts in the team’s colors.
Sister Canabarro’s nephew, Cleber Canabarro, spends time with her every Saturday and keeps her spirits up with voice messages. Despite two hospitalizations that left her weak, Sister Canabarro remains optimistic and engaging. She is now the second-oldest nun ever documented, after Lucile Randon, who passed away in 2023 at the age of 118. Sister Canabarro’s remarkable life and longevity have earned her a place among the top 20 oldest documented people to have ever lived.