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Pope Leo XIV Receives 12-Year-Old Arabian Horse
Confirmed
In Short: The Vatican confirmed Pope Leo XIV received a 12-year-old purebred Arabian horse named Proton from Polish horse breeder Andrzej Michalski.
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Leo XIV received a 12-year-old purebred Arabian horse named Proton as a gift from Andrzej Michalski, president of the Michalski horse farm in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo, Poland.
Michalski recalled that during his time as a missionary in Peru, Pope Leo XIV frequently rode horses.
Michalski told Vatican News, 'The pope was very pleased. Holding the reins, we led him off together, taking him for a short walk. He was very satisfied; we were very happy.'
The white horse, a gift from Michalski Stables, will reside in Castel Gandolfo, home to the Vatican's equestrian center.
Pope Leo XIV's spiritual journey was deeply influenced by the Carmelite friars he encountered during his papal visit to the Institut Catholique de Paris on September 26.
During his time as a friar, Pope Leo XIV developed the 'practice of the presence of God,' remaining aware of God's presence whether at prayer or in daily tasks.
Pope Leo XIV said, 'It's been my spirituality for years,' referring to the practice of being aware of God's presence in daily life.
The pope's spiritual formation and development are captured in a book published before his papacy, offering readers a unique portrait of the first American and first Augustinian pope.
The book, which will be published simultaneously in the British Commonwealth, provides essential reading for anyone seeking Pope Leo’s wisdom, theological insight, and moral courage.
Pope Leo XIV emphasized, 'Man is not defined by what he possesses or what he knows, but rather by what he loves.'
What this adds
The Vatican's confirmation of the gift aligns with prior WarpBeat reporting.
The book offers an unprecedented look at the spiritual development of Pope Leo XIV before his papacy.
Background
The Vatican confirmed that Pope Leo XIV received a 12-year-old purebred Arabian horse named Proton from Andrzej Michalski, president of the Michalski horse farm.
What's confirmed
- The Vatican confirmed that Pope Leo XIV received a 12-year-old purebred Arabian horse named Proton as a gift from Andrzej Michalski, president of the Michalski horse farm in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo, Poland.
- Michalski recalled that during his time as a missionary in Peru, Pope Leo XIV frequently rode horses.
- The white horse, a gift from Michalski Stables, will reside in Castel Gandolfo, home to the Vatican's equestrian center.
- Pope Leo XIV's spiritual journey was deeply influenced by the Carmelite friars he encountered during his papal visit to the Institut Catholique de Paris on September 26.
- During his time as a friar, Pope Leo XIV developed the 'practice of the presence of God,' remaining aware of God's presence whether at prayer or in daily tasks.
- Pope Leo XIV said, 'It's been my spirituality for years,' referring to the practice of being aware of God's presence in daily life.
- The pope's spiritual formation and development are captured in a book published before his papacy, offering readers a unique portrait of the first American and first Augustinian pope.
- The book, which will be published simultaneously in the British Commonwealth, provides essential reading for anyone seeking Pope Leo’s wisdom, theological insight, and moral courage.
What's still developing
- Credit: Photograph by VATICAN MEDIA / CPP / HANS LUCAS What do you give a Pope?
- Actually, it's incredible to think that one of the men who would shape the spirituality of a future pope spent a good deal of his own life cooking dinner and mending shoes.
- “We are called to be fully human in the midst of an inhuman society. Christian holiness is love, and is born in our hearts,” writes Prevost.
- Prevost—now Pope Leo XIV— selected by the Holy Father after his election to the papacy in May 2025.
- “It’s a book for any Catholic, but also any Christian or spiritual seeker looking for guidance and hope for living a life that transforms the world.” The book will be published simultaneously in the British Commonwealth with Cornerstone, a division of Penguin Random House UK.
- The collection allows readers to witness the spiritual formation and development of the man who would become pope—in his own words, written before he or anyone imagined his future role in the Church.