Brother Jose Hilton Charamghatt, a monk at Cottolengo Brothers seminary and an expert in Italian language, had no use with the language other than his daily religious purposes.
But that was till Sunday.On Sunday, Hilton’s proficiency in the language came in handy for Kerala police, who called the priest on board the ship ‘Enrica Lexie’ to serve as a translator between the police and the Italian crew.
The police on Sunday arrested two Italian navy personnel from the merchant vessel for purportedly shooting at a fishing boat off Alappuzha coast last week. The monk said the crew was cooperative during the interrogation.
“Though they were a little reluctant to surrender, there was no problem with communication,” he said.
After his formation at the seminary here, Bro Hilton went to Italy to specialise in theology, as also for graduation in literature and law.
Living in Sienna, Italy, from 1991 to 2002, Bro. Hilton became an expert in Italian, the religious language of the congregation for the monks. Looking for a translator when the police checked with the seminary, Bro. Hilton, being the most adroit with the language, was deputed.
