Porto Alegre, Brazil — Sister Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun and educator recognized as the world’s oldest living person, has passed away at the age of 116.
According to her religious congregation, Sister Inah died of natural causes on Wednesday at her home in Porto Alegre, Brazil. She would have turned 117 on May 27.
In January, longevity tracking organization LongeviQuest officially confirmed Sister Inah as the world’s oldest living person. Following her death, the title has now passed to 115-year-old Ethel Caterham from the United Kingdom.
In a video shared in February 2024, Sister Inah credited her deep Catholic faith as the secret to her long life. She was widely admired for her joyful spirit and lifelong commitment to teaching. Among her former students was General João Figueiredo, Brazil’s last military dictator.
Pope Francis honored her on her 110th birthday. According to LongeviQuest, she is the second-oldest nun ever recorded, after France’s Lucile Randon, who died in 2023 at the age of 118.
Her wake will be held on Thursday in Porto Alegre.
