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People group profile · PG000736

The Gagauzes of Bulgaria

The Gagauzes of Bulgaria, numbering about 9,400 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Turkic-speaking people who are predominantly Eastern Orthodox Christians, a combination that makes them quite distinctive among the world's Turkic peoples, most of whom are traditionally Muslim.

They are a diaspora people in the Turkic people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Gagauz.

Pray for the GagauzesPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Gagauzes people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Gagauz

Fast facts

Country
Bulgaria
Population
9,400
Affinity group
European Peoples
People cluster
Turkic
Primary language
Gagauz (gag)
Primary religion
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Expanding Unreached People Group
Region
Eastern Europe, Europe

Where they live

Gospel status

The Gagauzes are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Gagauzes

  • Continue prayer and fasting for this group
  • Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
  • Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Primary religion

Eastern Orthodox Christianity · Christianity

62% adherents

Primary language

Gagauz · Turkic family

100% speak Gagauz

Gospel resources in Gagauz

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Gagauzes

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

Gagauz in other countries

The same people (ROP3 103132) is reported in 3 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
GagauzesMoldova147,000Engaged yet Unreached
GagauzesTurkiye17,500Engaged yet Unreached
GagauzesKazakhstan1,200Unengaged and Unreached

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