ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece -- The Olympic flame that will be burning for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games started its journey after being ignited at the birthplace of the Games in Ancient Olympia, Greece on Tuesday during a traditional ceremony.

Actress Mary Mina, in the role of an ancient Greek High Priestess, lit the torch using a backup flame instead of a concave mirror due to cloudy skies before the 2,500-year-old Temple of Hera, a goddess in ancient Greek mythology.

Escorted by dozens of female and male dancers playing the roles of priestesses and male youth in pleated costumes, the flame was transported in a replica of an ancient urn to the stadium where the Olympic Games were born, under the rhythm of an ancient Greek type Lyra and percussions.

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