A day in the life of Ancient Olympia with the priestesses of the Olympic flame lighting ceremony

The Olympic flame is close to completing its short tour of Greece and soon to be on its way to Italy for the Winter Games next February.

A handover will take place on Thursday 4 December, the start of a 63-day, 12,000-kilometre relay through all 110 Italian provinces, highlighting cultural sites and host venues before reaching Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the opening ceremony.

Its journey officially began a week ago with a spectacular ceremony at the archaeological site where the Olympics began. For several weeks, however, before the flame was lit, dozens of young people, either dancers or actors, volunteered to be part of the historic proceedings.

Euronews spent a day in Ancient Olympia to record the rehearsals behind the scenes which culminate in the iconic images sent around the world. For the second time, after the ceremony in April 2024 for the Paris Olympics, the actress Mary Mina was the Primate of the Year who held aloft the torch lit during the ceremony and passed it on to Petros Gaidatzis, a rowing bronze medalist at Paris.

The artistic director of the Olympic Flame ceremonies since 2008 is choreographer Artemis Ignatiou who oversaw every single intensive rehearsal in the run-up to the ceremony: "The team is a group of people who are all artists. They are dance teachers or actors. We all volunteer our services for our country, for Greece and to send the message of the Olympic Truce around the world. This is what we are asking for. Because to the question, to any question, the answer is peace around the world."

"This year's ceremony is titled "Daughters and Couri, the perpetual awakening" and is of course inspired by these magnificent statues of antiquity.The Daughters and Kouroi come to life in front of the audience and with rhythm, intensity and movement, they give a new choreography and atmosphere of ancient Greece in modern times."

07.30 am - breakfast

Early in the morning, soft music woke up everyone staying inside the International Olympic Academy (IOA) facilities. The world's leading institution of Olympic Education, founded in the middle of the last century, is located next to the archaeological site where the first Olympic Games were held and is dedicated to the study, enhancement and promotion of Olympism and its values in relation to current global issues of Olympic interest and in accordance with the principles established by the ancient Greeks and the revivalists of the modern Olympic Movement. Residents receive their breakfast in the restaurant area and return to their rooms to get ready.

09.30 Preparations at the IOA

The approximately 40 priestesses emerged from their rooms on the second level of the International Olympic Academy facilities. Some in overalls, others casually dressed as the rehearsals don't demand formal attire. The girls and boys stay in rooms of two or even three people. Make-up and hairstyling for almost all go hand-in-hand.

A little later, Artemis Ignatiou gathers the whole group in a circle to address them ahead of their first official rehearsal of the day at the archaeological site. Some choreography exercises are done in the open space right in front of the rooms where they are staying.

10.15 a.m. Departure from the IOA

Two minibuses have been enlisted to facilitate the team's travel from the IOA premises to the Archaeological Site.

Each dancer takes a small bag with his or her absolutely necessary personal belongings for the next two to three hours.

The distance travelled is no more than 2-3 minutes with the small vans moving around the perimeter of the Archaeological Site and ending at the official entrance.

After disembarking from the vans, the whole group enters the Archaeological Site through the main entrance.

10.30 am The first "relaxed" rehearsal

The rehearsals in the Archaeological Area are held with the cooperation of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia, which has provided the necessary permits. The morning rehearsals take place while dozens of tourists are inside the premises. Most of them, realising their... fate, sit and watch the dancing.

Initially, rehearsals take place in the Temple of Hera, or the Heraion of Olympia, within the sacred space of the Althea and on its northwestern side, built at the southern foot of the Cronius Hill.

This particular building is one of the oldest examples of monumental temple architecture in Greece and it was the place where the most valuable works of the sanctuary were kept, among which was the Sacred Truce Disc and the famous Hermes of Praxiteles (perhaps the most popular exhibit in the nearby Archaeological Museum).

In front of the temple there is the altar of Hera, where the Olympic flame is lit by the respective Pretender, according to the ritual that has been established for the present time. With Artemis Ignatiou holding the drum and giving instructions, the priestesses make three different passes and rehearse the choreography.

Next, they all move together to the Ancient Stadium. On the small hill between the Stadium and the Temple of Hera the next rehearsals take place, this time involving four boys.

Ignatius is inside the stadium with a microphone to correct any small imperfections she finds, while a loudspeaker next to her conveys the instructions to the dancers.

The process is repeated two or three more times, to the delight of the lucky spectators who chose that particular day to visit the Archaeological Site. Among them was a renowned high school from Rome with about 50 high school students, who quite by chance, as explained to us by their escorts - teachers, stumbled upon the rehearsals for the touching ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games to be hosted in their home country.

12.45 Visit to the Archaeological Museum

After more than two hours at the Archaeological Site, the rehearsal is complete and the entire team leaves on foot for the exit. However, before boarding the vans for the return to the Olympic Academy premises, they are also taken to the adjacent Archaeological Museum for a short tour of the site.

"We believe in the Olympic idea and what it stands for and that is what unites us," say the young dancers.

"I've been participating in the touch and surrender ceremonies since 2011, in a new choreography each time and the feeling is truly unique. The most important thing in this group is the bonding, the giving and all these shared feelings, with one single goal: to send the message of peace everywhere," Priestess Athanasia Muyou explains to Euronews.

For his part, Theodosis Livadinos, one of the 'kurous' of this year's ceremony, says: "The experience is special and magical every time. We bond as a team, as one big family and it's incredible. The boys have an active role representing the statues of Zeus, as Olympic athletes and then as Kouroi, in a new choreography each time at the Olympiad."

13.45 Return to the IOA, lunch, rest

The young dancers head first to the restaurant where lunch awaits them. Each of them takes his or her tray, chooses the amount of food he or she wants from the buffet and has to return it to a certain place, just like in the student clubs. Along with the participants of the ceremony, there are about 20 Olympic values students from all corners of the world residing in the IOA premises, who are attending their classes every day, aspiring to get their master's degree at the end of the academic year. Afterwards, everyone has an hour of free time to return to their rooms, rest for a while and get ready for the afternoon - and a more demanding rehearsal.

16.00 Second most formal rehearsal

The second rehearsal at the Archaeological Site of Olympia will be in formal attire but away from the eyes of ordinary citizens. As the archaeological site closes to the public at 15:30, immediately afterwards Artemis Ignatiou and her team have the opportunity to rehearse until sunset with no people on the premises, except for the few employees of the Ministry of Culture.

At the same time arrives a two-member team of Red Cross volunteers who have come from Patras to provide their services in case of any need. And it is needed. From a sprain during the dance when one sandal is torn, to mosquito repellent, lots of mosquito repellent. During the evening rehearsal formal wear is worn bare-backed, meaning the priestesses are exposed to the thousands of insects in the area.

The participants outfits were designed two years ago by the internationally renowned Greek stylist Mary Katrantzou for the Paris ceremonies. These costumes include several ancient Greek elements since they are inspired by Ionic-style capitals.

The same costumes will be worn by the same dancers at the ceremony of handing over the Olympic Flame to the Italian Olympic Committee. A ceremony that will take place at the Kallimarmaro Panathenaic Stadium on 4 December, after an eight-day torch relay, with the Olympic flame crossing over 2,200 kilometres on Greek territory, passing through 23 prefectures and 7 regions. The ceremony of handing over the flame seems a long way off, however, when the hours are counting down to the touching ceremony.

18.00 Return, dinner, rest

As we are in the winter season and the sun sets early, the last rehearsal of the day is completed at about six o'clock in the evening. In the afternoon rehearsals with tunics and formal dresses, the order was reversed and first the choreographies were "tested" in front of the Ancient Stadium and then in the Temple of Hera.

According to Artemis Ignatiou "everything so far has gone very well, with a wonderful feeling and energy". The bulk of the work had been practiced and prepared in Athens, before the whole group descended to Ancient Olympia so that the members could meet at the Archaeological Site, dance in it and unite with the earth, nature and the sun.