Ever since Cardinal Copia was introduced in 2018, fan have been chomping at the bit for information on when and if the titular character would be graduating to management. The title of Papa Emeritus is a coveted name and as the first of the band’s leaders not of the bloodline of previous Papas, Tobias Forge has been clandestine about whether or not Cardinal Copia would make the cut. With GHOST performing a final concert until their next album release on Forge’s birthday, fans and concert goers got a huge surprise in the form of PAPA EMERITUS IV.
The concert on March 3rd (cheers March babies) took place in Mexico City and featured GHOST playing the last show for the Prequelle and Seven Inches of Satanic Panic releases. Since 2018, the band has done three world tours in exhausting succession. We knew that something big would be coming before the next album was released, like the introduction of PAPA EMERITUS IV, but we didn’t know it would happen so soon. Work on the next album is starting soon and it is set to release in 2021.
Cardinal, ahem, I mean Papa Copia got promoted during the Mexico City ritual and he showed off his new anti-papal adornments and the Papa facepaint. Each PAPA EMERITUS gets his own special black and white makeup design and this is a nice throwback to PAPA EMERITUS from Opus Eponymous. His robes, however, were brighter than his successors with a lovely gold and blue combination. For all of the Count Copia fans out there, don’t fret. Count Copia returns with his new look, as well.
I can only imagine that after this surprise introduction, we should be getting a new chapter video on Youtube. GHOST is very creative when it comes to announcing tour dates, new leaders etc, so I am excited to see the story behind this promotion and what Copia had to do to get there. If GHOST decided to share this big news this early into the next album cycle, this can only mean there is a lot ahead from Forge and the band. A big thank you to IG page @marcosrenevazquez for providing all images.
