The “high priestess,” played by Greek actress Mary Mina, lit the torch with the Olympic Flame for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
The ceremony took place in the archaeological museum at Olympia, in front of the impressive marble statue of Nike of Paeonius, dating back to around 420 BC. Due to the rain that has fallen in recent days, it was not possible to light the flame today using the parabolic mirror, which focuses the sun's rays, as required by the traditional rite.
The flame was lit during a rehearsal of the ceremony last Monday, on a sunny day, and was saved for today.
Named "Essenziale" for its minimalist design, it is made of a recycled aluminum and brass alloy weighing 1060 grams, and highlights the "purity" of the flame and its high symbolic value.
Thus begins the Olympic relay on Greek soil: a total of 450 torchbearers will carry the flame over 2,000 kilometers, through seven Hellenic regions, including Greece's second city, Thessaloniki. The flame will be greeted by 36 welcoming ceremonies across the Mediterranean country, until it reaches Athens' Panathenaic Stadium on December 4th. There, it will be handed over to the Italian Organizing Committee, which will transport it to Rome, marking the start of the Italian relay, pending the start of Milan-Cortina 2026.
On December 13th and 14th, it will cross Sardinia, touching 12 municipalities and the UNESCO site of Nuraghe di Barumini, as announced by the Organizing Committee of the five-ring competition scheduled from February 6th to 22nd.
The scheduled date is December 13th at the port of Olbia. The Flame will then continue to Sassari, Porto Torres, Stintino, and Alghero, finally arriving in Nuoro at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. The following day, the Olympic Flame will head to Oristano, then to Sanluri and the UNESCO site of the Nuraghe of Barumini.
Next up will be Iglesias and Quartu, and finally Cagliari. The final event of the journey is on December 14th: the Cagliari city celebration on the stage in Via Roma.
(Unioneonline)