THE SYMBOLS OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES. 4

The Flame

The lighting

In memory of the Olympic Games’ origins, the flame is lit in Olympia, Greece, some months before the opening of the Games.

The Olympic flame can only be lit by the sun’s rays. For the ancient Greeks, fire was a divine element believed to have been stolen from the Gods.

The relay route

The torch is carried by relay from Olympia to the host city of the Games.

Arrival at the stadium

The day of the opening of the Games, the flame enters the stadium. With the lighting of the cauldron by the last relay runner the flame is transferred from the torch to the place where it will continue to burn for the entire length of the Games. The flame is extinguished on the final day of the Games at the closing ceremony.