The Papa Emeritus II Era
2012-2015
Papa Emeritus II made his live debut on December 15, 2012, at the same special show in Linköping where his elder brother handed over the microphone. He debuted performing 'Secular Haze', the first single from Infestissumam, before an audience that was just beginning to understand the magnitude of the succession ritual Ghost had invented. His mask was the first fully custom-made for a Papa, establishing the artisanal production standard that all his successors would continue. His painted face was more realistic and disturbing than Papa I's: a cadaverous old man with defined features, accompanied by a dark chasuble with green lining and a crozier bearing the Grucifix symbol. Offstage, Vice's 'Papaganda' episodes portrayed him as a miserable, wounded, narcissistic man with a voracious sexual appetite. In a memorable maskless appearance for an Australian interview in 2014, he appeared as a bald businessman with sunglasses and a mustache, speaking in Italian, which became one of the most comical moments in Ghost's history. Infestissumam (2013), the album of his era, was a dramatic expansion of Ghost's sound. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz in Nashville, it incorporated massive choirs—a group of backing vocalists initially refused the job due to the satanic lyrics—orchestral arrangements and unprecedented theatricality. 'Year Zero', 'Secular Haze', 'Monstrance Clock' and 'Idolatrine' became band anthems. The album reached #1 in Sweden and the top 10 in Finland and Norway. That same year, the EP If You Have Ghost was produced entirely by Dave Grohl, a declared Ghost fan. The EP included four covers—among them ABBA's 'I'm a Marionette'—and a live track, becoming a cult object. Ghost's popularity exploded during this era. The band went from playing clubs to headlining festivals like Download, Sonisphere and Wacken. Tickets sold out in minutes. The narrative of anonymity remained intact but was beginning to crack under the weight of public curiosity. His reign ended on June 3, 2015 in Linköping, when Sister Imperator appeared onstage to declare that he had failed in his mission to overthrow governments and churches, and to announce the arrival of his younger brother—with just three months' difference. Papa Emeritus II was dismissed before the audience. Like his brothers, he was executed by the Clergy in March 2018 and embalmed to be displayed on subsequent tours.
Albums
Infestissumam
If You Have Ghost
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