The President of Georgia attended a blessing ceremony of the Bagrati Church and addressed the gathered audience. He firstly thanked the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II for the initiative of restoring the Bagrati Church as well as other churches. According to the Head of State, this is the time of restoring churches “churches not as buildings, but as educational centers.” Mikheil Saakahsvili stressed the contribution of Ilia II in strengthening Georgian patriotism and integrity.

The President of Georgia also addressed the representatives of the political spectrum, which gathered at the Bagrati Church. As Mikheil Saakashvili noted, despite political and economic differences everyone must stand behind the idea of unification of Georgia, and no one should ever put personal interests above those of the society’s; everyone should travel the big road which is called the unification of Georgia. According to him, this is exactly how this huge goal can be achieved.

The President arrived at the church with the First Lady and his youngest son.