Vitantonio Lovallo, Italy's oldest man and one of Europe's oldest men, dies at 112

Vitantonio Lovallo, recognised as the oldest man in Italy and in Europe, has died at the age of 112 in Avigliano, in the southern province of Potenza. He celebrated his last birthday on 25 March. ([videoembed.ansa.it](https://videoembed.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cronaca/2026/09/16/morto-nel-potentino-a-112-anni-era-luomo-piu-anziano-ditalia_e230950e-1172-41af-ae19-daf5480ce296.html?utm_source=openai))

Born in 1914, Lovallo spent his life working the land as a shepherd and farmer in the small hamlet of Sarnelli; he only stopped working about six years ago, when he was already over one hundred. His family say he never broke his bond with his native territory in southern Italy. ([bari.corriere.it](https://bari.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_settembre_16/vitantonio-lovallo-muore-a-112-anni-ziton-l-uomo-piu-anziano-di-italia-ha-rappresentato-una-memoria-viva-e-preziosa-della-nostra-8e45140a-a8a9-4326-96af-b34db2ec0xlk.shtml?utm_source=openai))

Memory of a century

He lived through the major upheavals of the 20th century and was mobilised during the Second World War. After Italy’s armistice in September 1943 he was captured by German troops and interned on the island of Rhodes; records show he was held there until 27 November 1943, before later being deported to a German camp until liberation. Lovallo kept wartime notes that he left to his grandchildren and great‑grandchildren as testimony. ([corriere.it](https://www.corriere.it/cronache/26_marzo_23/vitantonio-lovallo-112-anni-uomo-piu-anziano-italia-9cdb2e54-3ff1-4c7d-bc7e-3dde3ff1fxlk.shtml?utm_source=openai))

Lovallo’s status as Italy’s oldest man was confirmed nationally, and organisations that track verified supercentenarians recorded him among Europe’s oldest men. International longevity registries list him among validated supercentenarians. ([grg-supercentenarians.org](https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/2026/09/16/vitantonio-lovallo-the-oldest-known-living-man-in-italy-dies-at-112/?utm_source=openai))

The organisation LongeviQuest continues to maintain a roll of validated extreme‑age cases. According to LongeviQuest, the oldest woman in Europe and in the world is Ethel Caterham of England, who on 16 September 2026 was 117 years and 26 days old. ([longeviquest.com](https://longeviquest.com/supercentenarian/ethel-caterham/?utm_source=openai))

Funeral arrangements reported by local authorities state that services will be held in Sarnelli and that the community paid tribute to a man many described as a living link to the region’s past. ([ufficiostampabasilicata.it](https://ufficiostampabasilicata.it/2026/09/16/avigliano-e-morto-a-112-anni-ziton-luomo-piu-anziano-ditalia/?utm_source=openai))

Photo: Jutjub