Seven fellow Japanese Christians, who had been arrested with Sotelo, were executed on 1 July, but he was freed following a special request by Date Masamune.

The embassy was headed by Hasekura Rokuemon Tsunenaga, and crossed the Pacific Ocean to Acapulco on board the Japanese-built galleon San Juan Bautista.

[5] Several years later, Sotelo, now Bishop-elect of Ōshū (in Northern Honshū), returned to Mexico en route to Japan, where he chose Sasada as his personal secretary.

The party returned to Manila in June 1618, where Sasada completed his studies for priesthood, with Sotelo instructing him.

Two other missionary priests, Pedro Vásquez OP and Miguel de Carvalho SJ, eventually joined these three Franciscans in captivity.

Since the fire burned the ropes of the two Japanese Franciscans, they prostrated themselves towards the center stake and asked for the Bishop-elect's blessing.

[4] After these martyrs died, the soldiers burned their remains in another fire and took their ashes in a boat to throw dispose of them into the sea, to prevent them being carried away by the Christians, even though a witness was able to collect some of Pedro Vásquez's cremains and had them deposited in a Jesuit Church in the Philippines.

In the Roman Catholic Church, his feast day is celebrated on 25 August[6], as well as 10 September, the anniversary of the massacre of 205 Japanese martyrs.