<![CDATA[ This research is motivated by the importance of architecture as a representation of the cultural and religious identity of the community. The Blessed Dionysius Sumbul Catholic Church is unique because it adopts the form of a traditional Pakpak house as a form of inculturation between the Catholic faith and local culture. This research aims to describe the history of the church's construction, analyze its architectural elements, and examine its functions and symbolic meanings related to the cultural and religious identity of the Pakpak people. The method used is the historical method with the stages of heuristics, verification (source criticism), interpretation, and historiography. Data collection was carried out through literature studies, observations, interviews, and documentation, using primary and secondary sources. The results of the study show that the Blessed Dionysius Sumbul Catholic Church adapts the concept of a traditional Pakpak house which is reflected in the building's form, pillar structure, roof, ornaments, spatial layout, and liturgical elements such as the altar, tabernacle, and Stations of the Cross. These elements not only function structurally and liturgically, but also contain symbolic meanings related to the cosmology, social values, and beliefs of the Pakpak people, thus reflecting the process of inculturation between Catholic teachings and local culture. It is concluded that the architecture of this church represents a harmonious integration of Pakpak culture and the Catholic faith. This research has implications for the importance of preserving local culture through religious architecture as a means of strengthening community identity amidst modernization.]]>
