In the heritage precinct of Old Goa, there are several buildings from the Portuguese Era. At its peak, Old Goa was called “Rome of the East.” Today, the monuments of Old Goa are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A short distance west of Se Cathedral stands a church and the Convent of St. Francis of Assisi. It is said that eight Portuguese Franciscan friars arrived in Goa in 1517 and secured a few houses from the then-governor. Eventually, they converted the houses into a chapel with three altars and a…