Lightning of Olympic flame for 23rd Winter Olympics started at Ancient Olympia

The lighting ceremony for the 23rd Winter Olympic Games ‘PyeongChang 2018’ started on Tuesday noon at the stadium of Ancient Olympia in the presence of President of Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos, the President of IOC Thomas Bach and the Prime Minister of South Korea Lee nak-yon.

The ceremony started with the formation of the Olympic rings, the Olympic anthem and the raising of the Olympic flag. The national anthems of Greece and South Korea and the raising of their flags followed.

Many Greek and foreign visitors attended the ceremony.

The bad weather conditions did not hinder the lighting of the Olympic flame as the light rain stopped and the officials entered the temple of Hera at 12:30 on Tuesday. The High Priestess Katerina Lehou proceeded to the lighting at the Temple of Hera (Heraion) which is opposite to the Temple of Zeus, at the archaeological site of Olympia. According to the ritual, the High Priestess, calls the God of Sun Apollo to light the torch, making a prayer.

Afterwards that High Priestess followed by the priestesses with the Olympic flame entered the ancient stadium of Olympia.

The High Priestess handed over the flame to the first torchbearer Apostolos Angelis who, on his part, delivered the flame to the veteran football player member of South Korea national team Park Ji-Sung.

Source: amna-mpa

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