Caption: An image of Sister Inah Canabarro in a side-by side comparison with her mid 20’s. Though the exact age of the photograph on the left is unknown, it was presumably taken sometime between 1933-1939.
WC: 427
In January 2025, the renowned Brazilian monk Sister Inah Canabarro officially became the oldest person in the world. On another note, she’s a hardcore soccer fan who lives for the thrill of the game.
Sister Inah Canabarro was born on June 8, 1908 in São Francisco de Assis, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil to João Antonio Lucas and Mariana Canabarro. As a child, she was very skinny and frail, leading to doubts of a healthy and prolonged life. “Sister Inah Canabarro was so skinny growing up that many didn’t think she would survive childhood!” Cleber Canabarro, one of her nephews, said. Unlike Inah, that did notn’t age well.
Sister Canabarro also was not just sitting around for almost 117 years: she racked up a few of her own impressive achievements. Inah worked as a kindergarten teacher at Santa Tereza de Jesus High School. She even taught João Figueiredo, the 30th president of Brazil! Additionally, she is the great-granddaughter of the famous General David Canabarro, who fought in the Ragamuffin War. Pope Francis himself sent a message of congratulations to her on her 110th birthday. Sister Inah also created the Santa Teresa School marching band in Brazil and helped create the Pomoli High School marching band in Uruguay.
Perhaps the most important traits of Sister Inah is that she’s not only accomplished, but also a blast to be around! “I’m young, pretty and friendly – all very good, positive qualities that you have too,” the nun tells the visitors at her retirement home. She says the secret of her longevity is her strong catholic faith. Local soccer club “Inter,” founded soon after Canabarro’s birth, celebrates every year on the birthday of its oldest fan. Her room is decorated with gifts in the team’s red and white colors. “White or black, rich or poor, whoever you are, Inter is the team of the people,” Inah says in one video posted on social media celebrating her 116th birthday with the club’s president.
She came to be the oldest living person in Brazil following the death of the Japanese Antonia da Santa Cruz (1905–2022) on 23 January 2022. In May 2023, the local archdiocese celebrated her 115th birthday. As of January 1st, 2025, Inah is exactly 116 years and 210 days of age. She became the oldest living person in the world, as well as the last living person born in 1908, following the death of Tomiko Itooka on 29 December 2024. She is the second-oldest nun in history, behind Lucile Randon, and the oldest verified living person in the world.
