“The Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia is in intensive care unit and feels fine. We thank on behalf of his holiness the Helios Berlin-Buch hospital and Professor Martin Strik, the surgeon, as well as all people of Georgia for fervent prayers, sympathy and support. It is expected that the patriarch will be discharged from hospital in a week,” the statement reads.
The Georgian Patriarchate, however, abstained from commenting on the detention of Deacon Giorgi Mamaladze, awaiting investigative results.
It was reported earlier that Mamaladze had been arrested on February 10 on charges of attempted murder. Cyanide was found in his luggage.
“He was arrested based on the information the prosecutor’s office received from an individual who claimed that Giorgi Mamaladze had asked him, in return for a substantial reward, to acquire the poisonous substance cyanide for elimination of a high-ranking priest,” Georgia’s Prosecutor General Irakli Shotadze said on Monday.
An investigation has been started based on this information, he said.
