Cithara Paul By

It’s party time for Italian marines — Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone — facing trial for the killing of two Indian fishermen.

Currently put up at the Italian embassy here, the duo attended a birthday party on Saturday at the Vatican Embassy here. The occasion was the 50th birthday of Monseigneur Gian Franco, Counsellor at the Vatican Embassy.

Along with the two marines, Italian ambassador to India Daniele Mancini and a prominent political leader of the ruling party in Italy were also present. The guest list included ambassadors from other countries.

From the Indian side, Archbishop of Delhi Anil J Couto of the Catholic Diocese and secretary to former President Pratibha Patil Christy Fernandes and his wife attended the party. There were about 50 guests and the menu was, of course, Italian, with beer and wine.

The duo was seen freely mingling with guests and shaking hands with them, according to a source who attended the party. “They were frequently puffing on cigar­ettes,” said the source.

It is not the first time the marines have visited the Vatican Embassy. The duo has been regularly attending Sunday mass at the Vatican parish. “They also attended Easter mass at the Chapel in the embassy. And every time, they were accompanied by Ambassador Mancini,” a source said.

Interestingly, these frequent visits to the Vatican Embassy are happening when the invol­vement of the Catholic Church in the case is controversial. Secret visits by priests from Rome to meet the victims’ family and the resultant withdrawal of the case by the family and flip-flops by a powerful cardinal from Ke­rala on the issue made ‘Catholic diplomacy’ suspicious.

“The way the duo are being para­ded by the Ambassador and the manner in which the Catholic establishment is openl­y flirting with the accused is quite embarrassing,” said a diplomat who attended the party. Incidentally, he too is Catholic. “The law does not stop the marines from partying as they are out on bail. The issue is that of impropriety,” the source said.