How a year at The Lay Centre shaped an Orthodox theologian’s vision of inclusive leadership and lived faith
ROME, ITALY — For Dr. Dimitrios Keramidas, a Greek Orthodox theologian originally from Thessaloniki, living in Rome provided a unique vantage point for his doctoral research. Currently a professor of ecumenism and Orthodox theology at the Pontifical University St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, Dimitrios holds a Doctorate in Missiology (S.T.D.) from the Pontifical Gregorian University. While pursuing his doctoral research from 2009 to 2010, he found an atmosphere at The Lay Centre that was “intellectually vibrant and spiritually grounded.”
During his residency, he engaged with questions of culture and social responsibility alongside other residents. This environment expanded his understanding of theology as “something lived, not only studied,” as daily discussions helped him integrate academic learning with lived faith.
As we prepare for our 40th anniversary in 2026–2027, The Lay Centre begins this series of alumni profiles.
A Transformation rooted in Hospitality
Among the Centre’s core values, Dimitrios found dialogue and hospitality especially transformative. He recalls that dialogue was “lived daily, with honest listening and exchange of views.”
Hospitality also took on a deeper meaning during his residency. It was not merely about being welcoming, he explains, “but creating a space where everyone’s story and tradition were valued.” Personally, the experience nurtured him on various levels and taught him to live with “responsibility and openness and humility,” while deepening his awareness of “diversity in friendship and sharing.”
The Layperson as a Bridge
His time at the Centre also influenced his understanding of his role as a layperson in the Church and what it means to be a lay leader. Dimitrios defines this as being “an active person in the world, rooted in faith, and committed to dialogue.” He believes laypeople have a vital role in “bridging Church and society, faith and mission, study and action.”
Today, he sees laypeople as “essential voices in renewing the Church,” particularly through their witness of faith in professional, academic, and social spheres. He credits The Lay Centre with helping him engage those challenges by offering a “model of inclusive leadership rooted in dialogue and mutual respect.”
Seeds Planted Around the Table
The fruits of his time at the Centre remain evident in his professional life today through friendships and collaborations. Dimitrios notes that projects on ecumenism are often “seeded in the model of ‘conversations around the table’” and that his experience at the Centre “still inspires much of my current work.”
To future residents, Dimitrios offers a spirited invitation:
“Come ready to be transformed – not only by what you study, but by whom you meet.”
He describes the Centre not as a mere residence, but as a “living laboratory of friendship,” and encourages others to “engage, listen deeply, and be open to the unexpected graces that community life brings.”
As The Lay Centre’s 40th anniversary approaches, Dimitrios hopes it continues to be a sign of “faith-filled dialogue and hospitality,” a place where bridges are built between cultures and where the Church’s mission in unity finds “living expression.”
Photo: Dimitrios Keramidas
Text: Regina Hernández
