Paris Olympics 2024: Did you know? The Myth behind the famous Olympic Flame

The ancient Greeks used a skaphia, a type of crucible, to kindle the flame. This device was positioned to face the sun, concentrating its rays to ignite dry grass.Today, a parabolic mirror is used to replicate this ancient method. The high priestess, assisted by vestals, kindles the flame during a ceremony where only they are permitted to enter the sanctuary area. The flame is then brought to the site of the public ceremony and handed to the first torchbearer. This initial runner carries the flame to the monument housing the heart of Baron de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic movement.