A Polish ski jumper gave thanks to God for his Olympic medals by laying them on a church altar. 

Kacper Tomasiak is the first ski jumper from Poland to ever win three medals in the same Olympic Games.

After winning the first two medals, he asked a Catholic priest to hold a special Thanksgiving Mass, and he placed the silver and bronze medallions on the altar. The day after the service, he won another silver medal.

“Kacper came to me and said it would be good to thank God for these medals,” Olympic Chaplain Father Edward Plen told OSV News. “…It was very moving. I said that the most beautiful thanksgiving for a medal is when the medals are placed on the altar and during the elevation — God himself comes to that altar, and looks not only at those medals, but above all at Kacper’s beautiful, pure heart.”

The 19-year-old put his faith on display by making the sign of the cross before each jump. Father Plen praised Tomasiak’s humility and desire to keep improving, comparing him to Pope John Paul II, who taught that natural human abilities should be developed.  

“He has received many talents from God and has not buried any of them,” Father Plen said. “He develops them. But he understands these successes as a task and a commitment for himself.”

He also serves as an altar boy and keeps in close touch with his home parish, which is following his Olympic performances, serving as an inspiration to young people there.

“He is an example that belonging to the Church and being active in it do not contradict daily life or even achieving such success,” said Father Marcin Alesky, the parish priest. “For many young people, that is important.”