ROME – Every October, on the feast day of the patron saint of physicians, Dr. Roberto Stella would organize a simple ceremony at a tiny church in northern Italy to honor Italian doctors who had died that year in the line of service.
As a key member of the governing body of Italy’s general practitioners, Stella cherished the tradition at the Temple of Duno and invited colleagues from around the country to attend.
This year, it will likely be Stella who is honored at the chapel. ____ EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of an ongoing series of stories remembering people who have died from coronavirus around the world.
____ A doctor and teacher who trained a generation of family practitioners in Lombardy, Stella now occupies a place of tragic