A man who admitted setting the doors of a synagogue on fire was having hallucinations about zombies, a court has been told.

Angelo Loras, 35, on Monday pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering members of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation by setting fire to their synagogue on July 5.

He admitted pouring flammable liquid at the site's entrance and igniting it with a lighter, creating a fireball that almost engulfed him.

Up to 20 people were inside the synagogue at the time and the fire caused about $54,000 in damage to the entrance doors, the court was told.

Loras was arrested the next day and told police he believed the building was a home rather than a place of worship.

Magistrate Malcolm Thomas on Monday accepted Loras had diagnosed schizophrenia and he did not intentionally tar

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