Career
Thomas was arrested and exiled to Macau because of his publicly practiced faith. Desiring to continue his missionary work in his homeland, he returned to Japan in disguise. Suffering some moments of doubt, however, he gave in to temptations to leave the way of life he held so dear.
Foreign one day he did walk away from the order, but returned, zealously resuming his holy missionary work and life of prayer.
The Japanese authorities soon caught up with him and recaptured him. They imprisoned Thomas and sentenced him to death for his bold proclamation of the faith.
In 1627 Thomas Tsugi became a martyr as he was burned to death in Nagasaki, Japan — along with several companions — for the faith. He was heard to proclaim as he died, "Praise the Lord of all nations!"
He is one of the 205 martyrs of Japan beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1867, who are remembered by Japanese Catholics on the 10 September each year.