From sunbeams to Olympic dreams: How a simple mirror creates the legendary Olympic flame

This year's Olympic Games are all set to kick off on Friday, July 26! The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will unfold in a spectacular six-kilometre-long floating procession along the Seine River. Athletes will traverse Paris aboard 160 boats, culminating their journey at the Trocadero, all while the Eiffel Tower gleams with lights.

A key highlight of the ceremony will be the arrival of the Olympic flame, carried by the final torchbearer. Upon reaching the arena, the torchbearer will complete a lap before lighting the Olympic cauldron, marking the official commencement of the Games.

But where does this iconic Olympic flame originate? Its creation involves a timeless ritual that bridges the ancient traditions of Greece with the modern Olympic Games.

Olympia's timeless tradition: Igniting the flame of peace and friendship

To this day, the Olympic flame lighting ceremony takes place at Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Games. This ritual, conducted months before the Olympics, symbolises peace and international friendship.

The Olympic flame's origins date back to ancient Greece, where a sacred fire was maintained at the altar of Hestia, the goddess of the hearth. This fire was ignited using the sun's rays, focused through a parabolic mirror—a method still employed today.

During this ceremony, a group of women known as the Vestal Virgins performs a ritual at the Temple of Hera. The high priestess, clad in traditional garb, calls upon the sun god Apollo and uses a parabolic mirror to concentrate sunlight onto a torch, ensuring the flame is ignited purely by natural sunlight.

Steps of the Olympic flame lighting ceremony

Preparation: The ceremony starts with the high priestess and her attendants assembling at the Temple of Hera, where they perform preparatory rituals.

Invocation: The high priestess prays to Apollo, seeking his assistance in lighting the torch.

Ignition: Sunlight is focused through the parabolic mirror, generating intense heat to ignite the torch. If weather conditions are adverse, a backup flame from a previous rehearsal may be used.

Symbolic acts: Once ignited, the flame is placed in an urn and handed to the first torchbearer, usually a Greek athlete. The ceremony includes the recitation of a poem by the ancient poet Pindar and the release of doves, symbolising peace.

Torch relay: The flame then embarks on its journey, travelling across Greece before being delivered to the host city of the upcoming Olympic Games. This relay serves as a living link between the ancient and modern Olympics, carrying a message of peace and unity.
The lighting of the Olympic flame is far more than a ceremonial act; it encapsulates the essence of the Olympics. It serves as a tribute to the ancient Games and their ideals, such as peace and international camaraderie, while emphasising the ongoing continuity of the Olympic movement from past to present and future.