The iconic 2011 film sequel to Pixar’s Cars, Cars 2, is now being met with idolization and religious worship in Daneborg, Greenland.

Daneborg is a station on the south coast of Greenland that acts as a station for the dog sled patrollers of the northeast Greenland national park, also known as the SIRIUS patrol.

Residents of this small area of Greenland have begun to create temples in honor of the animated feature and have been holding daily services where they pray to the iconic characters of the film, such as Lightning McQueen and Mater. Images of the characters are seen at the front of the “churches” and rows of chairs follow. A priest-like person is seen at the front, converted in the colors of the character they are most devoted to. While in the past, people did focus on the first Cars film, Cars 2 is now being used because it’s more modern. The third movie still has yet to reach viewers in Greenland. 

The primary practice that we see happening here is when groups of worshippers will get together weekly to recite certain scenes from the film as if they were scripture. 

Sources say that this worship began late last year in the months of Nov. and Dec. The exact reason for this idolization is hard to pinpoint, but the themes and morals of the film seem to have been the catalyst. In these trying times, the simplicity of an animated film can feel comforting and gives one a place to feel simple and pure joy and this seems to be what the worshippers were going for. 

“I have never felt so at peace with my life and the events that are unfolding around me. This new religion, which we are calling Carsism, has allowed me to see my life through the lens of an innocent child. It all seems so small now,” said a local worshipper here in Greenland.

Therapists from all over the globe, including the United States and Canada, are researching “Carsism” as a potential treatment for conditions like anxiety. Numbers of worshippers in the states are already increasing exponentially. The worship of this film seems to have created a huge downfall in levels of anxiety in Greenland. Just as the local states before, it creates a sense of serenity. 

Carsism seems to be on the rise in Greenland, but it has hopes of spreading further, so, who knows, you may just become one of the worshippers.