Photo credit:  ATHENS, GREECE – APRIL 16: A detailed view of the Olympic Flame during the flame lighting ceremony for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics at the Ancient Olympia archeological site, birthplace of the ancient Olympics in southern Greece on April 16, 2024 in Olympia, Greece. (Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

 

The Olympic flame is lit. The fire was ignited on April 16th in Olympia, Greece at the ancient birthplace of the Olympics during an elaborate ceremony. The earliest recorded Games were held in 776 BC. The ceremony starts a torch relay that will culminate in Paris for the Summer Games July 26th.

Amidst dignitaries and spectators, who congregated at the stadium where the earliest known Games unfolded in 776 BC, the flame was ceremoniously lit. Symbolizing the rich heritage of ancient Greece, the event was choreographed with precision, as actresses garbed as ancient priestesses escorted the head priestess to the Temple of Hera, the sacred ground for religious rituals in ancient times, and the venue for the lighting ceremony.

Embarking on its voyage, the torchbearers, numbering over 10,000, will cover thousands of miles, starting with Greek Olympic gold medalist rower Stefanos Ntouskos leading the relay. The initial leg spans a 5,000-kilometer trek across Greece over 11 days, involving more than 600 torchbearers, ranging from elite athletes to members of the public.

The journey culminates at the historic Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, the site of the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896, where the flame will be handed over to the Paris Olympic organizers in a ceremony on April 26. Subsequently, the flame will set sail for Marseille aboard the storied vessel Belem, which began its existence as a cargo ship ferrying sugar from the West Indies over 120 years ago.

Throughout its history, Olympic relays have encompassed daring expeditions, including global circumnavigation, space travel, underwater ventures, and ascents of Everest. Anticipated to arrive in France on May 8, the flame will embark on the next leg of its relay.

Having been borne by countless individuals over the years, this journey will witness the torch exchanged between approximately 10,000 torchbearers, culminating in the illumination of the Olympic cauldron in Paris on July 26, where it will remain aflame until the Closing Ceremony two weeks later.

Additionally, the flame will illuminate the Paralympic Games, scheduled from August 28 to September 8, with 1,000 torchbearers guiding its passage through 50 towns and cities in France.

The French authorities have pledged an extravagant Games, distinguished by the distinction of hosting the Opening Ceremony outside a conventional stadium. Initial plans outline a procession of about 10,500 athletes through the heart of Paris along the River Seine.