World’s oldest person identified as 117-year-old nun who loves soccer

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A soccer-loving nun from Brazil is believed to have become the world’s oldest living person at nearly 117 years old, attributing her steadfast Catholic faith for her longevity.

LongeviQuest, an organization that tracks supercentenarians around the globe, released a statement on Saturday declaring Sister Inah Canabarro as the world’s oldest person, validated by early life records.

The now-wheelchair-bound nun was crowned the world’s oldest living person after Tomiko Itooka died in Japan at age 116 on Dec. 26, 2024.

Her nephew spends time with her every Saturday and sends her voice messages between visits to keep her spirits up after the elderly woman had two hospitalizations. 

“The other sisters say she gets a jolt when she hears my voice,” he said. “She gets excited.”

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In this photo released by LongeviQuest, Sister Inah Canabarro, 116, puts her hands together in prayer, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, Friday, February 16, 2024. (Carlos Macedo/LongeviQuest, via AP)

Canabarro was born on June 8, 1908, to a large family in southern Brazil, according to LongeviQuest researchers. But her nephew said her birth was registered two weeks late and that she was actually born on May 27, 1908.

When she was a teenager, she turned to religious work and spent two years in Montevideo, Uruguay, before moving to Rio de Janeiro and eventually settling in her home state of Rio Grande do Sul.

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For her 110th birthday, she was honored by Pope Francis. She is the second-oldest nun ever documented after Lucile Randon, who was the world’s oldest person until her death in 2023 at age 118.

Pope Francis holds a rosary during the Mass for the closing of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Oct. 29, 2023. (Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Along with her commitment to her lifelong faith, she is devoted to local soccer club Inter. The club, which was founded after Canabarro’s birth, celebrates her birthday every year as the oldest fan.

Her room is decorated with gifts in the team’s red and white colors, her nephew said.

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“White or black, rich or poor, whoever you are, Inter is the team of the people,” she said in a video posted on social media celebrating her 116th birthday with the club’s president.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.