Olympic Games Paris 2024: Olympic Flame to be lit at Ancient Olympia in Greece

The world turns its gaze to Greece, to Ancient Olympia, nearly 100 days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, where the Olympic flame will be lit, ANA reports.

From there, it will embark on its grand journey, leading from the Acropolis to Paris and passing through places like French Polynesia. Following two editions of the Olympic Games that have lost their great 'glow' due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, namely the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, the traditional ceremony at the cradle of Olympism will regain all its colors with a live audience.

The Lighting of the Olympic flame traditionally takes place in Ancient Olympia and is carried out by the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Its history starts in 1936, on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Berlin. With the help of a concave mirror and as the ritual defines, the Lighting is performed by the High Priestess in the Temple of Hera (Heraion), in the archaeological site of Olympia. There, the priestess asks the help of the sun god Apollo to light the torch as she makes the invocation.

The first Lighting of the Olympic Flame in Ancient Olympia took place on July 20, 1936, for the Berlin Olympic Games with the then High Priestess Koula Pratsika, who is considered a pioneer of classical dance in Greece and was the first choreographer of the lighting ceremony.

Programme of the lighting ceremony of the Olympic Flame

The Olympic flame will be lit on April 16, 2024, in the Holy Land of Ancient Olympia to begin its journey to the French capital for the “ Paris 2024” Olympic Games.

The lighting ceremony will commence at 11.30 a.m. in the presence of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, and admission is open to the public.

The Olympic flame will be carried by the priestess Mary Mina in a choreography inspired and directed by the choreographer Artemis Ignatiou to music composed by Dimitris Papadimitriou and performed by 35 priestesses and 15 kouroi. The costumes for the performers were created by the internationally renowned designer Mary Katrantzou.

The Olympic anthem will be sung by the successful mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato and the master of ceremonies will be the renowned journalist Nikos Aliagas.

The Olympic flame will be handed over to gold medalist Stefanos Douskos by priestess Mary Mina to begin the torch relay on Greek soil, which will last for 11 days until April 26.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

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