Pope Leo XIV receives unusual gift from Poland

Pope Leo XIV has accepted an unusual new gift from a Polish breeder — a white Arabian stallion named Proton.

Presented just before Wednesday’s General Audience and now destined to be stabled at the Vatican’s equestrian centre in Castel Gandolfo, the horse was a gift from Andrzej Michalski, who said his decision was inspired by an image of the Pope on horseback — an echo of his early missionary ministry — and by the symbolism of white as resonant with the papal cassock.

Michalski, founder of the Michalski Stud Farm in north-western Poland, has long championed the therapeutic value of horses. His facility runs a programme of hippotherapy for children with disabilities, using equine movement to support neuromotor and cognitive rehabilitation.

While Proton is a purebred Arabian, his parentage testifies to an international pedigree: his sire hails from the United States and his dam was acquired from Jordanian royalty. Michalski purchased the colt in his youth and nurtured him on his own estate.

The formal presentation to the Pope took place immediately before the General Audience, when Michalski led Proton alongside the Holy Father. Although the Vatican has not released a detailed statement, witnesses say Pope Leo received the horse with joy.

In a letter handed to the pontiff, Michalski outlined both the mission of his stud farm and his hope that the gift might support the Church’s works of charity. He also asked for the Pope’s blessing as the farm approaches its 30th anniversary.

This is not the first time a pope’s stable list has featured unusual benefactions. Over recent years, ecclesiastical leaders have received donations of everything from white motorcycles to electric vehicles.

In earlier papacies, even livestock and agricultural gifts have appeared in the Vatican registry. The practice of accepting such gifts is not new; historically, sovereigns, bishops, and noble families frequently offered horses, livestock, or land to prelates as tokens of fealty, respect, or alliance.

Popes have long been the recipients of unusual or extravagant gifts. During the pontificate of Pope Francis, the late pope most notably received a white Lamborghini Huracán, presented in 2017 and later auctioned for charity, with the proceeds directed towards aid projects in Iraq and for victims of human trafficking.

As Proton settles into his new quarters at Castel Gandolfo, the Church will determine whether he remains as a symbolic companion to the Pope, or whether, like many papal gifts, he may one day serve a broader charitable purpose.

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