Pope removes red shoes, enters mosque, marking new stage in Esav’s submission to Ishmael in Gog and Magog war. Israel365

Catholic Church (photo by Steve Martin)

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz April 15, 2026

​Pope Leo’s brief but symbolically loaded visit to Istanbul’s Blue Mosque has ignited intense commentary far beyond the confines of interfaith diplomacy. As the first US-born pontiff stepped barefoot into one of Islam’s most iconic sacred spaces, observers noted every detail of the carefully choreographed encounter, from the removal of his distinctive red papal shoes to his quiet tour alongside senior Turkish religious officials. 

While the Vatican framed the visit as an exercise in “reflection and attentive listening,” others have interpreted the imagery in far more charged terms, viewing the scene as a powerful moment in the evolving relationship between Esav, represented by Catholicism, and Ishmael, represented by Islam. This alliance is described in esoteric Jewish sources as a precursor to the pre-Messiah Gog and Magog War against Israel.

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