Paris Olympics flame to be lit with elan at Greek cradle of ancient games
Time:2024-05-21 07:57:13 Source:travelViews(143)
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) — One way or another, the flame that’s to burn at the Paris Olympics will be kindled Tuesday at the site of the ancient games in southern Greece.
Forecast cloudy skies could frustrate efforts to produce the flame in the customary fashion, when an actress dressed as an ancient Greek priestess uses the sun to ignite a silver torch.
If that doesn’t work, French organizers will get their flame from a backup that was successfully lit at a final rehearsal Monday.
In an elaborately choreographed ceremony first used in 1936, the foremost of a group of priestesses in long, pleated dresses offers a prayer to the ancient Greek sun god, Apollo. She then dips the fuel-filled torch into a parabolic mirror which focuses the sun’s rays on it, and fire spurts forth.
From the ancient stadium in Olympia, a relay of torchbearers will carry the flame more than 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) through Greece until the handover to Paris Games organizers in Athens on April 26.
You may also like
- Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to lead Indianapolis 500 field in Corvette pace car
- Seth Jarvis leads Hurricanes past Blackhawks 4
- Young Bullet Train Conductor Striving for Splendid Youth
- Young Woman Saving Traditional Dyeing Craft from Dying
- Yu Darvish extends scoreless innings streak to 25 in Padres' 9
- China's Guo Wins Women's 41kg of Powerlifting Gold at 4th Asian Para Games
- Grassroots Doctor Taking Care of Villagers for Decades
- Pic Story of Rural Video Blogger in SW China's Sichuan
- Target to lower prices on basic goods in response to inflation