According to the Patriarchate's Public Relations Office, with the blessing of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, the Secretary of the Catholicos-Patriarch, Archpriest Michael Botkoveli visited the third President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili at the Rustavi Penitentiary.

"Archpriest Michael Botkoveli conveyed the blessing and greetings of His Holiness to Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili and, as in all similar cases, this time asked on behalf of the Church to end the hunger strike, because it is a non-Christian act", - the statement reads.