BIOGRAPHY

La Morgia was born in Lanciano, a town in Abruzzo’s Chieti province, on 17 April 1913. She had a twin sister, who also became a nun under the name of suor (Sister) Modesta. Her sister died in 2011, at the age of 98. She joined the convent following in the footsteps of her twin. Both sisters joined the Order of the “Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary” (Italian: Missionarie dei Sacri Cuori di Gesù e Maria). In the convent, she served as a catechist for children, worked in the kitchen, and cared for entire generations of novices and nuns. In the 1970s, she moved to Rome, where she spent the last 50 years of her life.

In April 2024, a party was organized in the convent where she resided to celebrate her 111th birthday. The celebration included a cake, candles, and songs performed by the other nuns. It was reported that she was very lucid at the time, though her hearing wasn’t very good. She continued to pray daily and eat with her fellow nuns. Many of the other nuns regarded her as a mother figure and considered her presence a gift. They noted that she was always happy and smiling, and kind to everyone. She was deeply devoted to the Christ Child, often placing his statuette on her bed during the day.

Anna La Morgia passed away in Rome, on 17 July 2024, at the age of 111 years, 91 days.

RECOGNITION

La Morgia was noted for her longevity in a Facebook post in July 2020, when she was 107. She has not been reported in any official news outlets and was confirmed privately to have attained supercentenarian status in 2023.

On 17 January 2023, following the passing of Lucile Randon, she became the oldest (known) living nun in Europe.

On 4 March 2024, following the passing of 112-year-old Antonia Manzi of Terracina, she became the oldest living person in the region of Lazio.

At the time of her passing, she was the second-oldest (known) living nun in the world, after Inah Canabarro Lucas of Brazil. She was also the second-oldest (known) nun ever to have died in Italy, after Marie-Josephine Gaudette.

ATTRIBUTION

* “A 110 anni deve fare una visita: le danno appuntamento tra 6 mesi” – Il Caffe, 10 June 2023

* “Suor Serafina, a 110 anni aspetta sei mesi per la visita geriatrica. Rocca su Fb: “Grazie cara Sorella per averci scosso”” – la Repubblica, 13 June 2023

* “Suor Serafina La Morgia compie 111 anni: vive nel Lazio la religiosa più anziana d’Europa” – la Repubblica, 17 April 2024

GALLERY