A white Arabian horse from the Kołobrzeg stud has become a gift for Pope Leo XIV. The original gesture by the Poles delighted the Vatican courtyard, where the pope proudly led the animal before an audience. The horse’s symbolism and history make a strong impression.
A fitting gift from a Polish stable
Pope Leo XIV recently received an unusual gift from a Polish breeder: Proton, a 12-year-old purebred Arabian horse. The animal comes from the Michalski stud in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo. The gift was handed over just before the Wednesday general audience at the Vatican, in front of numerous media representatives and people gathered in the square.
A symbol of white rooted in papal tradition
The horse’s white coat matches the papal cassock perfectly, as Andrzej Michalski, the owner of the stud, pointed out. The choice was not accidental: Proton won the breeder over with his temperament and calm nature. “When I saw photos of the pope riding a horse in Peru, I thought a white Arabian would be a worthy gift,” Michalski told the media.
Proton joins the papal stable
The horse has been taken to the papal stable at Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father’s summer residence near Rome. Other horses, including Andalusians, have been kept there for years. Pope Leo XIV has riding experience gained during his missionary service in Peru, where he regularly travelled through villages on horseback.
Why did the Poles give the pope a horse?
It is worth noting that this gesture expresses not only admiration but also respect. The idea arose as a response to the papal apostolic exhortation “Dilexi te” (“I have loved you”), in which Leo XIV stresses the role of gestures in building bonds and love. The Polish breeders chose a horse of exceptional lineage: Proton was born in Janów Podlaski, his father comes from the USA, and his mother was bought back from a princess of Jordan. Such a story adds further value to the gift.
A list of curiosities: papal gifts
- Gifts for popes usually end up in museums, Vatican collections, or stables at papal residences.
- Pope Leo XIV is the first American pope, with considerable riding experience from Peru.
- The white Arabian horse symbolises nobility, purity and a new beginning, values important to Christian tradition.
Who is the Polish breeder?
Andrzej Michalski, owner of the Horse Riding and Hippotherapy Centre in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo, has for years promoted domestic horse breeding. It is thanks to his imagination, courage and passion that Polish horses are winning recognition, even in the Vatican. “The pope was very pleased, we led the horse there together,” Michalski told local media.
The gift’s impact on the image of Poland and the Church
According to experts, such a gesture may strengthen Poland’s positive image abroad as a country that cares for its breeding heritage and promotes Christian values. It is also another example of building relations between Poland and the Vatican through symbolic gifts.
The most unusual papal gifts of recent years
The Polish gift to Pope Leo XIV is much more than a symbolic gesture. It expresses respect and creativity, as well as the desire to build bonds through unique traditions. Such events give Polish-Vatican relations a dimension that is not only formal but also very human and warm, like the friendship between a rider and a horse that begins with… the first shared walk.
