Ghost is the eponymous devil-worshipping ministry that is the center of the band's story and image. It is an exact inverse of the real-life Catholic Church, acting as both a parody and criticism of the organization.
The Grucifix.
Leadership / Organizational Structure[]
It is generally understood that The Clergy controls the ministry of Ghost, with Frater Imperator as the current leader. The band, Ghost, serves as the public missionary arm of the ministry, conducting rituals at venues around the world in order to spread their message.
The band is typically led by a "demonic anti-pope" figure who may adopt the title "Papa" (Latin/Italian for "Pope") when properly elected by the Clergy. On at least one occasion, a Cardinal (Copia) was chosen to lead the band without first having been promoted to "Papa". He was later elevated and assumed the title "Papa Emeritus IV".
Ghost is also known to conduct private business behind the scenes, possibly by a group of Cardinals or other employed staff - when Cardinal Copia was first introduced publicly, it was stated he had the "second-most employee of the month awards" indicating he had been employed by Ghost for some time prior to being chosen to lead the band.
Texts[]
| Christian Prayer / Text / Phrase | Ghost Counterpoint / Reference |
|---|---|
| The Lord's Prayer / Our Father | Ritual |
| The Nicene Creed | Satan Prayer |
| Hail Mary | Mary on a Cross |
| Saecula Saeculorum | Zenith |
| Epiclesis | Body and Blood |
| Ad aspera ad astra | Per Aspera Ad Inferi |
Symbology[]
The Grucifix is the inverted cross symbol used as the primary symbol of Ghost. It is distinguishable from a "normal" cross by the conspicuous stylized "G" at its core.
Ghost has issued several official rosaries bearing different variants of the Grucifix.
In relation to the band[]
The Ministry of Ghost is a satanic church located in "the deepest crypts of Linköping, Sweden"[1]. According to the lore, The Ministry of Ghost created the band as they believed the medium of rock music was the perfect way to spread their unholy message to the world, a motive that is referential of rock music related satanic panic that was prevalent in America during the 80's.
Trivia[]
- The filming location for the Headquarters is Mountain View Mausoleum in Altadena, California.