Roman Catholicism in Uzbekistan
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Church in Uzbekistan
is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
and curia
in Rome
. There are approximately 5000 Catholics in the country of 27 million. They are organized under a single Apostolic Administration. The country currently has five parishes and the bishop hopes to open two more.
's Missionaries of Charity
have a presence in the country and assist in activities such as caring for the poor, prisoners, and the sick. There are also attempts to introduce the Catholic charity group Caritas
, but has so far been unsuccessful. All missionary and other efforts to convert people to Catholicism from other religions is barred by law.
- Christian relations in the country are positive. There are no official relations between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches in Uzbekistan, however, at the local level priests of the two communities are in dialogue. Relations between Armenian Apostolic
Christians, Lutherans and local Catholic communities are positive.
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. There are approximately 5000 Catholics in the country of 27 million. They are organized under a single Apostolic Administration. The country currently has five parishes and the bishop hopes to open two more.
Activities
Various religious orders such as the Franciscans and Mother TeresaMother Teresa
Mother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
's Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity
Missionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which consists of over 4,500 sisters and is active in 133 countries...
have a presence in the country and assist in activities such as caring for the poor, prisoners, and the sick. There are also attempts to introduce the Catholic charity group Caritas
Caritas (charity)
Caritas Internationalis is a confederate of 164 Roman Catholic relief, development and social service organisations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide....
, but has so far been unsuccessful. All missionary and other efforts to convert people to Catholicism from other religions is barred by law.
Ecumenical relations
MuslimIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
- Christian relations in the country are positive. There are no official relations between the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches in Uzbekistan, however, at the local level priests of the two communities are in dialogue. Relations between Armenian Apostolic
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
Christians, Lutherans and local Catholic communities are positive.