The Official Rehearsal of the lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame that took place in Ancient Olympia on April 15, one day before the Olympic Torch started its journey to Paris, was completed with complete success.
The rehearsal, as always, took place in the presence of an audience, with the spectators applauding the moment the flame was born traditionally from the rays of the sun in the Temple of Hera in the hands of High Priestess Mary Mina.
This was followed by the Dance of Priests and Priestesses in the choreography created and directed by Choreographer Artemis Ignatiou, with costumes by Mary Katrantzou, to the sounds of music by composer Dimitris Papadimitriou.
The first Torchbearer is Olympian Stefanos Duskos, and the presenter of the event is Nikos Aliagas. The second Torchbearer will be French Olympian Laure Manaudou, and the third, European Commissioner Margaritis Schinas.
The Ceremony of Touching the Olympic Flame will take place on Tuesday, April 16, at 11:30 in the presence of the President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, with free entry for the public.
The President of the Olympic Torch Relay Committee, Thanasis Vassiliadis, is responsible for the Touching Ceremony, and the Master of Ceremonies is Yiannis Papadimitriou.
The Program
11:00
- Official attendance pass
- Presidential Guard Entrance
- Arrival of S.A. of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou
11:30
- Opening Ceremony
- Formation of Olympic circles by students of the Municipality of Ancient Olympia
- Olympic Anthem – Hoisting of the Olympic Flag
(The Olympic Anthem is performed by Mezzo – Soprano Joyce DiDonato) - National Anthem of France – Hoisting of the French Flag
- National Anthem of Greece - Raising the Flag of Greece
(The National Anthems are performed by the children's choir of the Saint-Paul & Pedagogy – Birds schools) - Greetings from the Mayor of Ancient Olympia, Mr. Aristidis Panagiotopoulos
- Greeting from the President of the Organizing Committee of the "Paris 2024" Olympic and Paralympic Games, Mr. Tony Estanguet
- Greeting from the President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Thomas Bach
- Greeting from the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, President of the European Olympics of Committees, and Member of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Spyros Kapralos
- Official entrance to the Temple of Hera
- Ritual of Touching the Olympic Flame in the Temple of Hera
- Choreography of Priests and Churches (The recording of the music of the composer Dimitris Papadimitriou was performed on ERT by the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Michalis Oikonomou, Interpretation: Treble player Myrsini Margaritis)
- Entrance of High Priestess Mary Minas with the Olympic Flame in the Ancient Stadium
- Delivery of the Olympic Flame from the High Priestess to the first Torchbearer, Gold Medal Rowing Olympian, Stefanos Duskos
- Departure of the first Torch Relay for the Pierre de Coubertin Monument
12:30 p.m.
- Start of the Olympic Torch Relay
- Withdrawal of S.A. of the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou
