Oriental Orthodoxy in Uzbekistan

Oriental Orthodox Christianity in Uzbekistan. Since Uzbekistan has a predominant Muslim majority, Oriental Orthodox Christians and adherents of other Christian denominations in that country constitute a religious minority.^[1]

Russian empire. After the formation of the Soviet Union, Armenians became big contributors to the social and political life of Uzbekistan.^[2] After the collapse of the Soviet Union, many Armenians moved to mainly to Russia, Armenia and the United States. Remaining Armenians in Uzbekistan keep their religious traditions. There are two active Armenian churches in Uzbekistan, in Samarkand and Tashkent. During the Soviet Union era, they were closed; in 1995 a businessman from Samarqand of Armenian origin, Artur Martirosyan, donated to re-construct and re-open the church.^[3]