The 2024 Paris Olympics will kick off on July 24 with football and rugby events. Opening ceremonies are scheduled to take place two days later. Before any of that can happen, the Olympic flame has to be lit. This took place today at 4:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 a.m. PT. If you were sleeping, never fear, that’s why recordings were invented.
Here are a few things to know about the Olympic flame and how you can rewatch the ceremony.
What is the historical significance of the Olympic flame?
The flame is a powerful symbol representing friendship and peace. It links the modern Olympic games to their ancient origins. This torch ceremony has been part of the games since the 1936 Berlin games.
The ideas behind the flame-lighting ceremony are even older. The flame is ignited on the very site of the first Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece. Fire was important to the ancient Greeks and used in their religious rituals. During the games, an eternal flame was found on the altar dedicated to the goddess Hestia. The temples of Zeus and Hera also got in on the act.
The modern version of the flame-lighting ceremony that took place today occurred at the ruins of a temple dedicated to Hera. It featured an actress playing a high priestess who utilizes a parabolic dish (or Skaphia if you want to keep it ancient Greek) to use the sun to light the flame. On a sunny day, before the actual ceremony, a flame is lit using this method as a backup for potential clouds on the big day.
A long journey to come
After it is ignited, the flame is placed in an urn, which travels to an ancient stadium. The high priestess gives the flame and an olive branch to the first torch bearer. It is their duty to make sure the flame is carried to the Coubertin Grove located at the International Olympic Academy. The flame is used to light a monument dedicated to Pierre de Coubertin.
Fittingly for this year’s host, Coubertin was a French educator and historian who is considered the father of the modern Olympic games. His heart is literally buried at the Olympic headquarters. Once proper credit is given to Coubertin, the flame is then passed to a second torch bearer, who represents the host country of France.
After France is acknowledged, the flame will take an 11-day trip around Greece. During this time it will pass between 550 torch bearers chosen by the Greek Olympic Committee. The Greeks are responsible for the flame until it is officially handed over to the French. This takes place in a ceremony on April 26 in Athens at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Afterwards, the flame will be under the control of the Olympic Games Organizing Committee. It will stay overnight at the French Embassy in Athens. The following day, it boards the historic Belem, a three-masted ship, and travels to Marseille, France. It is expected to arrive on May 8.
I missed the ceremony. How can I see it?
You can watch a replay of the Olympic flame-lighting ceremony on Olympics.com