Flame for Winter Olympics 'Pyeong Chang 2018' lit at ancient Olympia

The lighting ceremony for the 23rd Winter Olympic Games "PyeongChang 2018" commenced 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 took part in the ceremony. The bad weather conditions did not obstruct 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 the 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, passed on the flame to the veteran football player member of South Korea national team Park Ji-Sung. In his speech the president of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach stressed: "Today as it happened in the past, the Olympic Games are a symbol of hope and peace. This heritage we honour today. Today with this ceremony we transfer the old tradition to the future", said Bach. He thanked Greek President of Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos who, as he said, "with his presence here today demonstrates modern Greece's commitment to the eternal Olympic Values". He also thanked the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Spyros Kapralos and the mayor of Ancient Olympia Efthimios Kotzias. "Thank you very much my Greek friends. The Olympic Games are sacred and international. The Olympic Games have the power to unite the humanity in its diversity. In our fragile world where isolation and reluctance increase, the Olympic Games are building bridges and friendship. Now as in the past, the Olympic Games are a symbol of hope and peace" concluded Bach. On his part, the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee Spyros Kapralos noted "Today's lighting of the flame for the Winter Games that will be held in South Korea constitutes a unique opportunity for the Olympic and sports movement to focus on the international and longstanding demand for peace, especially in a period that that the drums of war are sounding loudly in many parts of the planet". Addressing the president of the Games' Organising Committee Lee Hee-beon, he said " Μay the Olympic Flame that will soon arrive to PyeongChang to convey and spread messages of friendship and to remind to the people the eternal values of the Olympic movement that we all share".

On the part of the Organising Committee "PyeongChang" Lee Hee-beon underlined: The Olympic flame symbolises the Olympic values that have become very important today. It is particularly important for Korea. The Winter Olympics are the Olympics of peace and harmony. We are ready to welcome the people to PyeongChang and to spread the message. We would like the international community to understand that we have pledged to host safe Winter Olympic Games". The mayor of Ancient Olympia Efthimios Kotzias stated among others "Today, probably in the most crucial international period, we are sending the Olympic Light to activate again the young people to work for peace and prosperity. The Olympic Flame on Tuesday will pass from to the towns of Pyrgos, Amaliada, Ancient Ilida and Kalavryta and will spend the night at the city of Patras.

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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Rosso Robot License: CC-BY-SA

Source: ANA-MPA