Olympic Flame for 2016 Rio Summer Olympics lit in birthplace of Games

OLYMPIA, Greece, Apr 20, 2016 -- Actress Katerina Lehou lights a pot with the Olympic Flame, during the dress rehearsal of the lighting of the Olympic flame at Ancient Olympia, in western Greece on April 20, 2016. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos)

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece, April 21 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic Flame that will burn for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Games was ignited at the birthplace of the ancient Olympics on Thursday during a flawless traditional sun-Ray ceremony.

Under clear skies, actress Katerina Lechou dressed as an Ancient Greek High Priestess, stood before the 2,500-year-old Temple of Hera, a goddess in Greek mythology, and used a concave mirror to focus the sun's rays and light the torch at 12:52 a.m local time.

"Apollo, King of the sun and the Idea of light, Send your rays and light the sacred torch," she prayed.

Escorted by four dozens of female and male dancers playing the roles of priestesses, goddesses and male youth in pleated costumes in light blue and olive green, two characteristic colors of the Greek landscape, the Sacred Flame was transported in a replica of an ancient urn to the stadium where the Olympic Games were born 25 centuries ago.

Following an impressive dance performance on the slope of the stadium inspired by Ancient Greek statues the High Priestess kindled the first Olympic torch for the XXXI Summer Olympics and passed it to the first torchbearer, Lefteris Petrounias, the Greek world champion in gymnastics.

She also handed to him a branch of olive tree a young boy had cut off shortly earlier, as a symbol of honor and victory, while a female dancer released a white pigeon to spread the Olympic ideals of friendship and peace to the world.

The ritual ceremony at the ancient stadium in western Greece was held under the rythm of a bagpipe, flute and an Ancient Greek type Lyra in front of an enthusiastic crowd of thousands of locals and foreign visitors who was cheering and welcomed the emotional lighting of the torch with a warm applause.

Numerous dignitaries attended the event, including the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos, the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach, and representatives of the Greek government and of the Brazilian delegation headed by the President of the Organizing Committee of the "RIO 2016" Olympic Games Carlos Nuzman.

Prior to the ritual of the lighting of the Flame, local schoolchildren in colorful uniforms formed the five Olympic circles.

The Olympic Anthem, the National Anthem of Brazil and the National Anthem of Greece were played and the Olympic Flag, the Brazilian Flag and the Greek Flag were hoisted, while actor Yannis Stankoglou recited a poem entitled "Light of Olympia".

"Today, more than ever before, at a time where wars still leave people without a country and athletes without a flag, the message of the Olympic Games for peace and brotherhood among people, is substantial and compelling," the Mayor of Ancient Olympia Efthymios Kotzias said addressing the event.

"History' s challenges did not blow out the Olympic Flame. The revival of the games 120 years ago opened a new chapter for humanity, a hopeful prospective for every human being on this planet," he stressed urging people worldwide to put aside disputes and controversies and to participate in the Olympic Truce, to live the Game' s greatness and become members of the great Olympic Family.

"The Flame holds a very special place within the heart of Greek people. We feel that it carries along its long journey a piece of our home country. Its very special messages will be sent with the Torch Relay, about to start very soon from Greece and carry on in Brazil," the President of the Hellenic Olympic Commitee Spyros Capralos said during his speech.

Both Greek hosts as well as Bach wished wholeheartedly great success to the Games.

"By coming together in unity to celebrate the rich diversity of our shared humanity, the Olympic Games give us all hope that a better world is possible. Together, we can change the world," Bach underlined during his speech.

On his part, Nuzman stressed that it is the first time the Games will be held in South America.

"It is time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country. In the most beautiful and wonderful of cities - Rio de Janeiro," he said addressing the ceremony.

"For Brazilians, it will be a moment of national pride. For South America, it will mark history. And for the Olympic Movement, it will be an opportunity to feel the warmth of our people and the exuberance of our culture," he added.

Thursday's ceremony at the ancient stadium ended marking the start of the torch relay, which this year celebrates its 80th anniversary. The first relay was held in 1936 for the Berlin Olympics.

The first Brazilian torchbearer who received the flame from Petrounias was Giovane Gavio, the volleyball Olympic champion, representing the hosts of Rio's Games.

The first leg of the relay across Greece will end on April 27 in Athens where the Sacred Flame will be delivered to the Rio Games organizers in a Handover ceremony at the marble Panathinaic stadium which hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Among the torchbearers in Athens will also be a Syrian refugee to highlight the need to put en end to the conflict that has fuelled the worst refugee crisis after the WWII.

The second leg of the relay will end in August at the Maracana stadium.