BRASILIA: The world's oldest person, Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, died Wednesday at the age of 116, said the religious community she belonged to in the city of Porto Alegre.

The title now passes to Ethel Caterham, a resident of Surrey, England, who is 115 years old, according to the US Gerontological Research Group (GRG) and the LongeviQuest database.

Born on June 8, 1908, Canabarro became the world's oldest person following the death in January of Japanese woman Tomiko Itooka, who was also aged 116.

The Congregation of Teresian Sisters of Brazil announced Canabarro's death in a statement in which it gave thanks "for the dedication and devotion" she had shown in life.

LongeviQuest said Canabarro had attributed her longevity to God, and on her 110th birthday, received a blessing from Pope Francis, who himself died last Monday aged 88.

Although she had claimed her date of birth was May 27, 1908, "her documented birth date according to records is June 8, 1908," GRG director Robert Young told AFP in January.