The ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame for the 2026 Winter Olympics, set to be held in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, took place on November 26 in the historic city of Olympia. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), this event is a significant milestone in the preparations for the Games.
In the sacred site where Olympic traditions began over 3000 years ago, a solemn ceremony was held to ignite the flame, symbolizing the start of every Olympic journey.
The priestess, played by actress Mary Mina, called upon the god Apollo to send forth his light. Using a parabolic mirror to catch the sun's rays, she ignited the flame—representing peace, purity, and the eternal spirit of the Olympics.
The flame was then placed in a special urn and transported to the Archaeological Museum of Olympia, where it was used to light the torch of the first torchbearer.
This year, the honor went to Greek Olympic medalist, rower Petros Gaidatzis, who won a bronze medal in the men's double sculls category at the Paris 2024 Olympics.