Riccardo Liguori A Polish breeder gifts the Pope an Arabian horse, Proton, which will be auctioned for charity. A symbolic gesture that reignites the debate on respect and the fate of animals
A white horse, a gesture of affection, and a charity auction: this is the story of Proton, the Arabian purebred donated to Pope Leo XIV by Andrzej Michalski, founder of the “Michalski” breeding farm in Kołobrzeg-Budzistów, Poland. The gift was presented on October 15, before the general audience at the Vatican, in the presence of the Pope, who accepted the tribute during a brief and sober encounter.
Michalski, a renowned breeder and horse riding enthusiast, explained that the idea came after seeing some photos of the Pope on horseback during a trip to Peru. “I wanted to offer a concrete gesture of esteem,” he recounted. Proton, with his snow-white coat, is the offspring of an American specimen and another that belonged to the Princess of Jordan.
The breeder’s intention, however, is not to gift a symbol of luxury. Proton will in fact be put up for auction and the proceeds will go to charitable works, in line with the Pontiff’s invitation to translate words into concrete actions. A way to transform a personal gift into collective aid.
Michalski also asked the Pope for a blessing for the thirtieth anniversary of his center, where, in addition to breeding, hippotherapy activities are conducted for children with motor disabilities. “We work two or three times a week with them,” he explained, “and soon we will organize a mini-championship for disabled children on rocking horses.”
Proton’s story has sparked curiosity but also some reflection. Horses, symbols of nobility and freedom, are often the subject of spectacular gestures that risk reducing them to status symbols. In this case, the value of the gesture will depend on what happens after the auction: whether Proton will find a home that respects his nature or if he will end up becoming a living trophy.
Proton, raised in an environment where horses are also used for therapeutic purposes, carries with him this dual heritage: a symbol of beauty but also of fragility. His story, more than a mundane episode, is a reminder—for believers and non-believers alike—of how thin the line is between love for animals and exploitation, between sincere gesture and spectacle.
If the auction truly serves to do good, then Michalski’s gift can be considered successful. But only if Proton, after the spotlight, will have what every horse deserves: space, care, and freedom.
Source: Vatican News
