(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 15.10.2025) – On the morning of Wednesday, October 15, Pope Leo XIV received a purebred Arabian horse as a gift.
The horse was a gift from a parishioner of St. Adalbert Parish in London, England. The reason for the gift was that the Holy Father, when he was a missionary in Peru, used to ride horses.
🐎🇻🇦 Wow! Papa León XIV recibe un caballo como regalo. Te lo mostramos
Por la mañana del miércoles 15 de octubre, el Papa León XIV recibió como regalo un caballo árabe de pura raza.
El caballo es un regalo de un feligrés de la Parroquia de San Adalberto en Londres, Inglaterra.… pic.twitter.com/yCpzMkSl0H
— P. Jorge Enrique Mújica, LC (@web_pastor) October 15, 2025
The donor intended that such a rare and valuable gift be auctioned off, with the proceeds donated to help the poor and needy.
The horse’s name is Proton. He is a purebred Arabian horse (his ancestors come from the Arabian Peninsula). Horses of this breed are considered the most beautiful in the world. Proton was born at the oldest Polish stud farm, founded over 200 years ago in Janów Podlaski, but his sire was the stallion Hlayyil, bred by Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Al Hussein of Jordan. Proton is twelve years old. His coat is gray with dark markings.
