According to the Patriarchate, the Patriarch's Secretary conveyed the blessing of His Holiness to Mikheil Saakashvili and asked him to end the hunger strike on behalf of the Church

The Secretary of the Catholicos-Patriarch, Archpriest Mikael Botkoveli conveyed the blessing and greetings of His Holiness to Mikheil Saakashvili and asked him on behalf of the Church to end the hunger strike, the Patriarchate's Public Relations Office reports.

According to them, with the blessing of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, the Secretary of the Catholicos-Patriarch, Archpriest Mikael Botkoveli visited the third President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili at the Rustavi Penitentiary.

"Archpriest Mikael 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 said.