By Fr Pawel Rytel-Andrianik & Karol Darmoros
Other donors have already gifted the Pope a white motorcycle and an electric car. Now, Pope Leo XIV has received a white horse as a gift.
Proton, a purebred Arabian, was given to the Pope on Wednesday by Andrzej Michalski, owner and founder of the Michalski Stud Farm, in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo, Poland.
An idea inspired by a photo from Peru
“When I saw the photos of the future Pope on horseback in Peru, the idea came to me that I wanted to give him a beautiful Arabian horse—one that would be worthy of him, and white, because white naturally corresponds to the Pope’s white cassock,” Mr Michalski told Vatican News.
He explained that this gesture was his way of expressing gratitude and responding to the Pope’s appeal to strengthen love through concrete actions.
Proton’s father came from the United States, and his mother was bought from a princess in Jordan. The horse was born in Janów Podlaski, and Mr Michalski purchased him as a young colt and raised him at his own stud farm.
“The horse moves beautifully and is exceptionally handsome,” the breeder noted.
A joyful meeting
The gift was presented to the Pope just before Wednesday’s General Audience. “The Pope was very happy; we led the horse together. He was delighted, and we were overjoyed,” Mr Michalski recounted.
During the meeting, a letter was also read in which the owner described the activities of his stud farm and asked for a blessing on the occasion of its upcoming 30th anniversary next year.
A gesture inspired by the Pope’s words
In his letter to the Holy Father, Mr Michalski referred to the Pope’s most recent Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te, quoting:
“Our love and our deepest convictions need to be continually cultivated, and we do so through our concrete actions. Remaining in the realm of ideas and theories, while failing to give them expression through frequent and practical acts of charity, will eventually cause even our most cherished hopes and aspirations to weaken and fade away.”
In his letter, Mr Michalski wrote: “In fulfilling this appeal, I would like to ask that my gesture may contribute to the realization of the missions that Your Holiness undertakes for today’s world and for the Church, in keeping with your charism and responsibility.”
Horses, hippotherapy, and helping those in need
The Michalski Stud Farm is not only a place for horse breeding, training, and competitions—it also runs a center for hippotherapy, a form of therapy that uses the rhythmic movement of a horse to engage sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems.
“When I worked with people with disabilities, hippotherapy sessions were held at Andrzej Michalski’s riding center. This therapy is a real blessing, especially for children with physical disabilities,” said Anna Mieczkowska, Mayor of Kołobrzeg, who also came to the Vatican.
“Our center organizes major equestrian competitions and hippotherapy for people with disabilities; we hold sessions two or three times a week. We are now preparing to organize a small Polish championship next month — for children with disabilities riding wooden horses,” Mr Michalski added. – Vatican News
