Christian Organizations

Christianity in the republic is represented by three major branches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism, which in turn is divided into 13 directions.

The largest Christian denominations:

• Orthodoxy, represented by the majority of the Slavic population of the republic;
• Evangelical Christians-Baptists, who have their Union of Evangelical Christian-Baptist Churches, mainly consisting of local Germans and led by a chairman. There are 35 prayer houses and branches located in Bishkek, the Chui Valley, Naryn, Issyk-Kul, Osh, Talas, and Jalal-Abad regions;
• Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) are under the Southern Union of Churches, whose issues are resolved by a conference led by a president. There are 17 SDA churches operating in Bishkek, the Chui Valley, and the Issyk-Kul, Talas, and Jalal-Abad regions. The majority of SDA believers are local Germans;
• Evangelical Christians (Pentecostal orientation) carry out religious activities in the Issyk-Kul, Osh, Talas, and Jalal-Abad regions and in the Chui Valley. The organization is led by the Union of Evangelical Christian Churches, which also includes representatives of local Germans;
• Jehovah's Witnesses have Kingdom Halls in the Chui Valley, Issyk-Kul, Talas regions, and Bishkek. They are united in the Union of Jehovah's Witnesses of Kyrgyzstan, with the highest authority being a meeting led by an elder. There are about 40 congregations, which include representatives of all nationalities residing in Kyrgyzstan.



In addition to those mentioned, there are a few small communities, including: the Lutheran-Evangelical diocese in the village of Luxembourg, which consists mainly of Germans and Russians (led by a bishop); a Catholic community in Bishkek, mainly composed of local Germans. There is also a congregation of the New Apostolic Church in Bishkek, with its center in Berlin, led by a preacher; congregations of Presbyterian churches represented by the Korean population of Kyrgyzstan. The leaders of these communities are pastors from South Korea. There are about 20 churches located mainly in the Chui Valley; a community of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church in Bishkek; a community of Ancient Orthodox Christians-Pomors of marital consent; and new charismatic churches that include representatives of all nationalities in Kyrgyzstan.



Among the non-traditional religious organizations operating in Kyrgyzstan are Jews, Vaishnavas, the Society of Krishna Consciousness, Baha'is, Buddhists, non-denominational Christian associations, and religious groups. The population of the Kyrgyz Republic is about five million people. Of these, more than 80% belong to nations and ethnic groups that historically practice Islam.