Artur Hanula
Proton for the Holy Father
Most was said about Proton, a grey purebred Arabian horse, which in October 2025, during a general audience, was gifted to the Pope by Andrzej Michalski, owner and founder of the horse stud farm in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo. The horse’s place of residence became Borgo Laudato Si’ in Castel Gandolfo – a place created on the initiative of Pope Francis, where all creation in harmony is to praise the Lord.
As Michalski later admitted in an interview with Vatican News, the idea for such a gift came from a photo showing the future Pope on horseback during his mission in Peru. Therefore, Andrzej Michalski wanted to give Leo XIV “a beautiful Arabian horse that would be worthy, because white is, after all, associated with the white papal cassock.”
Many opinions later appeared in the media emphasizing the fact that the Pope knows how to handle a horse.
The donor informed the Vatican media that the horse’s father came from the USA, and its mother was bought from a princess in Jordan. Their offspring was born in Janów Podlaski. Michalski bought him as a foal and raised him at his stud farm.
The gift was presented before one of the Wednesday audiences. As the stud farm owner reported, “The Pope was very pleased.” “He was very happy, we were very happy,” he added.
In a letter to the Holy Father, read during the meeting with the Pope, Andrzej Michalski referred to the latest exhortation “Dilexi te,” citing the papal message to strengthen love through concrete gestures.
Painting with a horse
During the last Wednesday audience in April 2026, the Pope received a painting from Andrzej Michalski, commemorating the presentation of Proton in October 2025.
Figure of the Lady of Podhale
Another Polish gift for the Pope was a copy of the figure of Our Lady of Ludźmierz, also known as the Lady of Podhale. It was presented to the Holy Father by the Marshal of the Małopolska Voivodeship, Łukasz Smółka. He invited the Pope to visit Małopolska – the small homeland of St. John Paul II.
The gift was presented during the October general audience. The visit of the delegation from the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship took place in the context of the approaching anniversary of the election of the Polish Pope to the See of Peter.
Łukasz Smółka said in an interview with Vatican media that “for us, today’s event is exceptional, especially since Holy Father John Paul II is the patron of Małopolska, and we presented a gift from Małopolska, from Podhale.”
Commemorative photo album
The Polish delegation, in addition to representatives of the Marshal’s Office of the Małopolska Voivodeship, also included other individuals. There was also Maciej Paradowski, responsible for the “John Paul II Flag” initiative, who promotes the white and red flag with a copy of the papal signature among pilgrims worldwide, and Bogdan Królik, a breeder of the “John Paul II” tulip variety. These tulips have been planted, among other places, in the Vatican Gardens. Papal photographer Grzegorz Gałązka presented the Pope with a photo album commemorating the 20th anniversary of the death of St. John Paul II.
Boat in amber
Another gift that Leo XIV received from Poles was a small boat set in amber, collected for centuries on the Baltic Sea. This was a gift from the heads of regional Polish Radio stations, who came to Rome in March 2026 to conclude a cooperation agreement with the Dicastery for Communication.
They met with the Pope after the general audience. The dedication read: “With the highest reverence and in spiritual unity, we present this gift to Your Holiness as a sign of gratitude and unity from the communities that daily form the Regional Stations of Polish Radio.”
Wilfredo León’s jersey for Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV also received a sports gift from Poland – a jersey of the Bogdanka LUK Lublin club with number 9, belonging to the Polish national volleyball team player, originally from Cuba, who also represents the Lublin club, Wilfredo León. The volleyball player announced this on his social media in June 2025. The gift was presented by another volleyball player, Jakub Wachnik, and his wife Magdalena, who attended one of the papal Masses.
Where do gifts for the Pope go?
The Pope receives many gifts every week, both during general audiences and meetings with his guests, such as heads of state. The Holy Father freely disposes of them. Some gifts may be kept in deposit, some transferred to various institutions, and some sold at charity auctions for those in need.
