Rosa de Vita
- Full name: Rosa de Vita
- Lifespan: 08.02.1911 – 11.10.2023
- Age: 112 years, 245 days
- Birthplace: Moio della Civitella, Salerno, Campania, Italy
- Last residence: Moio della Civitella, Salerno, Campania, Italy
- Application date: 18.06.2023
- Validation date: 03.11.2023
- Validation source: Maxime Emery/Alfredo Nocera
Biography
Rosa De Vita was born in Moio della Civitella, Salerno, Campania, Italy on February 8, 1911. In February 2021, she celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian. She survived nine popes and three pandemics.
She never left her home village – Moio della Civitella – where she always worked in the countryside. And she walked kilometers and kilometers to bring food to the farmers.When her husband emigrated to Venezuela in the mid-1950s, she had to shoulder the entire burden of raising the family. When her husband died, she was left with the son with whom she lived in her senior years, his wife, two grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren who are in love with her super-grandmother. They are the ones who organized her birthday party every year which was open to the whole country until the pandemic hit. On the occasion of her 110th birthday, Rosa received the title of scientist of the People’s University of Cilento with “110 existential voices”. [Italian: titolo di accademica dell’Università Popolare del Cilento con «110 e voto esistenziale»] The secret to long life? For Marianna Rizzo, a nutritional biologist who has been researching and studying centenarians from Cilento for years, the most important things are “long walks, calorie restrictions, good character and life with family.” In Aunt Rosa’s case, the basis was a diet based on cereals and legumes: “Bread and broccoli for breakfast, and pasta with beans or homemade pasta for dinner.” Plus a hug from family and other villagers.
On her 111th birthday in 2022, De Vita received her third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, making her one of the oldest known people to receive it. «Because the most beautiful thing is life». Rosa De Vita from Cilento was the ninth longest-living woman in Italy, the second in Campania.
Rosa De Vita passed away in Moio della Civitella, Campania, Italy on 11 October 2023 at the age of 112 years, 245 days.
Longevity recognition
At the time of her death, she was the second-oldest known living person in Campania, behind Lucia Laura Sangenito, and the fourth-oldest known living person in Italy, behind 113-year old Domenica Ercolani, 112-year old Claudia Baccarini, and 112-year old Lucia Laura Sangenito.
Validation
Rosa de Vita was verified by Maxime Emery, and Alfredo Nocera, GRG Correspondent for Italy, and validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) as of November 3, 2023.
Rosa de Vita on her 110th birthday.
Rosa de Vita on her 111th birthday.
Rosa de Vita on her 112th birthday.
Rosa de Vita on her 112th birthday.
Photo courtesy of Corriere del Mezzogiorno, infocliento.it, and Salerno Today.