After the death of the Japanese Tomiko Itooka, the Brazilian Inah Canabarro Lucas, aged 116, is now recognized as the new dean of humanity, reports Le Parisien.
The title of dean of humanity now goes to Inah Canabarro Lucas, a 116-year-old nun living in Brazil, says Le Parisien. This recognition was confirmed by the Gerontology Research Group, an organization based in the United States specializing in the study of older adults. Inah Canabarro Lucas shared the same age as her predecessor, Tomiko Itooka, who recently died.
Born in 1908 in São Francisco de Assis, in the south of Brazil, Inah Canabarro Lucas is descended from a national hero, General David Canabarro, who marked the history of his country by participating in the War of the Farrapos (1835-1845) . Despite poor health during her childhood, she has survived the decades showing astonishing resilience.
After studying at a boarding school, she left for Uruguay to become a nun. Back in Brazil, she devoted herself to teaching Portuguese and mathematics in a school in the Tijuca district of Rio de Janeiro.
A survivor of the pandemic,The secret of its longevity
In 2021, at the age of 112, Inah received her first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. A year later, she contracted the virus while hospitalized, but managed to recover. This makes her one of the oldest known survivors of the disease. On January 23, 2022, Inah became the oldest person in Brazil after the death of Antonia de Santa Cruz, who had also reached 116 years old.
Despite hearing and visual problems, Inah Canabarro Lucas maintains a rigorous routine, alternating between her meals, her prayers and her rest. According to his nephew, Kleber Vieira Canabarro Lucas, the secret of his longevity lies in “his determination for life, his dedication to others, and his spirituality.”
Behind Inah Canabarro Lucas, Briton Ethel Caterham, aged 115, currently occupies the second position in the ranking of oldest living people, according to LongeviQuest and the Gerontology Research Group.
