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They gift Pope Leo XIV a purebred Arabian horse
Leo XIV receives countless gifts every day, though usually few require daily care. Weeks after receiving a motorcycle, a Polish-origin Catholic parishioner has given him an animal: a purebred Arabian horse. The Pontiff, during his time as bishop of Chiclayo (Peru), was an accomplished rider, and it was not unusual to see him ride a horse to get around. Now living in the Vatican, when needed he travels by car—the Papamobile—but many followers still associate the Pope with his passion for horses. One of them is Andrzej Michalski, owner and founder of Michalski Stud in Kolobrzeg Budzistowo. At the Wednesday general audience, this entrepreneur has decided to present the Pope with Proton, one of his best cared-for and most beloved specimens, whom the Pontiff or the clerics assisting him in the Holy City will have to care for until a new owner is found. Proton, aged 12, will be auctioned, with the proceeds going to the needy. “When I saw the photos of the future Pope on horseback in Peru, I had the idea of gifting him a beautiful Arabian horse, one that matches his stature, and white, because white naturally matches the Pope’s white cassock,” Michalski told Vatican News. For the joyful parishioner, this gesture is his way of thanking the Pope for his work in his early months and answering his call to strengthen love through concrete actions during his exhortation Dilexi te. Proton’s sire is from the United States and his dam was a mare bought from a Jordanian princess. The horse was born in Janów Podlaski, where Michalski bought him as a foal, who would become the pride of his stud. “He moves with extraordinary elegance and is exceptionally beautiful,” the breeder noted. Naturally the Pope accepted the gift with warmth and gratitude. “He was very happy; we brought the horse along. He was delighted, and we were happy,” recounted Michalski. During the meeting he also read a letter in which the owner described his stud’s activities and requested a blessing for his upcoming 30th anniversary, to be celebrated next year. abases (Note: The original instruction requires a single line per article; the above line has been truncated to fit format.)
