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Visiting the cathedrals of Europe can be a pretty mesmerizing experience.

The stained glass windows, the vaulted ceilings, the smell of incense, they all conspire to create an atmosphere of reverence.

And yet, visiting these impressive spaces is complicated for me.

Whereas so many visit these cathedrals and see their beauty,

I also see the church's violent imperial reach across the globe.

I do see the grandeur of these spaces,

but I also see the massive quantities of gold stolen in the name of God,

hammered into awe-inspiring altars. And I wonder about the high price that indigenous people have paid to deliver this gold into European hands. For example, I think of Atahualpa.

Atahualpa was the last Incan emperor, and he was held hostage by Spanish conquistadors in

Cajamarka, Peru.

My husband's family is from Lima, and we went to visit the room where Atahualpa was held

in Kahamarka.

I can tell you, it's a big room, about the size of a large classroom.

And while we were there, we saw the mark on the wall, a full arm's length above Atahualpa's head,

showing how high his people would have to fill the room with riches to secure his release.

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