March 28: Homer Simpson, Messiah

Homer Simpson fell under the spell of “Jerusalem Syndrome” and thought himself the messiah while vacationing in the Holy Land with his family during an episode of The Simpsons entitled, “The Greatest Story Ever D’ohed” and aired on this date in 2010. HIghlights of the episode include the Simpson family’s rendezvous with Krusty the (Jewish) Clown in Jerusalem, their encounter at the Western Wall with a pushy Israeli tour guide (voiced by Sacha Baron Cohen), Homer’s nap in Jesus’ tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Homer’s stirring sermon at the Dome of the Rock about the basic unity of all religions, based on his insight that nearly all people of the three Abrahamic religions like to eat chicken. The episode was viewed by nearly 5.7 million people.

“At Kfar Shaul Mental Health Center in Jerusalem . . . during the past 25 years, [doctors] have admitted more than 450 cases” of Jerusalem Syndrome. —Unexplainedmysteries.com