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Maria Helena Saraiva de Aguiar

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Maria Helena Aguiar
Maria Helena Saraiva de Aguiar
Maria Helena Aguiar
Birth: 2 November 1913
Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe
Death: 7 October 2025
Porto, Portugal
Age: 111 years, 339 days
Country: Sao Tome and PrincipeSTPPortugalPOR
Unvalidated

Maria Helena Aguiar, known as Sister Aguiar [Portuguese: Irmã Aguiar] (2 November 1913 – 7 October 2025) was a Portuguese supercentenarian whose age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). At the time of her death, she was the second-oldest known living nun in the world, after Francis Piscatella. She is also the oldest person ever born in São Tomé and Príncipe and the oldest ecclesiastical person ever to have lived in the Iberian Peninsula.

Biography[]

Maria Helena Saraiva de Aguiar was born in Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe on 2 November 1913, and came to Portugal at the age of 3 and lived with a grandmother and an aunt in Braga at that time. She started playing the piano at age 3. At the age of 6 she went to live in Lisbon, with her parents. She entered the conservatory when she was 15 or 16 years old.

She began giving piano lessons at the age of 18, but only entered religious life at the age of 27. She was a teacher at a school run by the Doroteias sisters in Viseu and then went to another Doroteias' school in Vila do Conde. Later, she moved to Porto, where she taught piano at the Colégio Nossa Senhora da Paz until the age of 106.

She was a convinced monarchist, because on her birthdays, especially in recent years, the birthday cake is decorated with the blue and white flag, and the "Hino da Maria da Fonte" is always sung.

In November 2023, she celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian. She is currently the only known supercentenarian who was born in São Tomé and Príncipe.

In January 2024, His Royal Highness Dom Duarte, Duke of Bragança decided to award Sister Aguiar the Honorary Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Archangel Saint Michael, a decoration that was delivered by Dr. José Aníbal Marinho, Vice-President of the Royal Cause.

Aguiar became the oldest living person in Porto District, following the death of 112-year-old Isabel Gomes Sarmento on 12 January 2023.

On 27 March 2024, she surpassed the age of Ana Martinez Llamas, becoming the oldest nun who ever lived in Iberian Peninsula.

Following the death of Anna La Morgia on 17 July 2024, Aguiar became the oldest living nun in Europe.

Maria Helena Aguiar died in Porto, Portugal, on 7 October 2025 at the age of 111 years, 339 days. She was also the last (known) Portuguese person born in 1913.

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