Blessed Thomas Ochia Jihyoe, also known as Thomas Jihyoe di Sant’Agostino, Thomas of Saint Augustine, or Kintsuba was a Catholic priest.
He was born in 1602 in Omura, Nagasaki, Japan.
He was hanged upside down and died as a martyr on November 6 1637 on Hill of Martyrs, Nishizaka, Nagasaki, Japan.
We celebrate his feast day on November 6 every year in the Catholic Church.
| Blessed Thomas Ochia Jihyoe Biography | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 1602 AD |
| Place of Birth | Omura, Nagasaki, Japan |
| Profession | Missionary Priest |
| Place of Work | Japan |
| Date of Death | November 6 1637 |
| Place of Death | Hill of Martyrs, Nishizaka, Nagasaki, Japan |
| Feast Day | November 6 |
| Beatification | Beatified by Pope Benedict XVI on June 1 2007 |
| Patron Saint of | |
Blessed Thomas Ochia Jihyoe Biography
Blessed Thomas Ochia Jihyoe was born to a Christian family having his parents as catechists who both died as martyrs.
Thomas joined a Jesuit school in Arima, Japan and when he felt a call to pious life he continued his studies in Macao.
In 1622, he went to Manila, the Philippines to study and there he joined the Augustinians making his profession in 1624.
He studied theology at Cebú, Philippines, and was ordained a priest. However, he returned to Japan in 1631 to minister to Christians during imperial persecution.
Authorities who did not know his vocation let him visit Christian prisoners, many of whom were missionaries.
When the authorities realized he was evangelizing to them, he was forced to flee and live for a while in a cave subject to an intense manhunt.
From there, he used tricks and the name Kintsuba to evangelize to Christians in the region for years until finally he was caught, tortured for months, and ordered repeatedly to denounce Christianity, and when he declined, he was executed and died as a Martyr.
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