Olympic flame
Games' symbolic torch
The Olympic flame is a fire lit at Olympia, Greece, and carried by relay of torchbearers to the host city of each Olympic Games.
The flame burns throughout the competition, symbolizing continuity with the ancient Greek games.
The torch relay and cauldron lighting have become signature Olympic ceremonies: The Olympic flame arrived in Paris after a cross-country journey.
Stage-by-stage transmission
- cauldronLarge metal cooking pot
- lightingArt of illuminating spaces
- ignitionStarting combustion process
- processionFormal moving line
handoff · opening ceremony · extinguishing · closing ceremony · ritual · kindling · priestess · parabolic mirror
Classical Mediterranean civilization
- ZeusGreek sky god
- HeraOlympian marriage deity
- mythologyBody of traditional tales
- traditionCustom passed through generations
legacy · antiquity · Hellenic · sacred fire · Vesta · temple · ancients · history
Freedom from disturbance
- unityWholeness through cohesion
- hopeDesire for good outcomes
- continuityUninterrupted progression or coherence
- spiritSoul, mood, or liquor
eternal · friendship · international · cooperation · harmony · solidarity · truce · brotherhood
relay
Stage-by-stage transmission
- cauldronLarge metal cooking pot
- lightingArt of illuminating spaces
- ignitionStarting combustion process
procession · handoff · opening ceremony · extinguishing · closing ceremony · ritual · kindling · priestess · parabolic mirror · sunlight
ancient Greece
Classical Mediterranean civilization
tradition · legacy · antiquity · Hellenic · sacred fire · Vesta · temple · ancients · history · revival
peace
Freedom from disturbance
- unityWholeness through cohesion
- hopeDesire for good outcomes
- continuityUninterrupted progression or coherence
spirit · eternal · friendship · international · cooperation · harmony · solidarity · truce · brotherhood · purity
burn
Damage by heat
beacon · fuel · design · aerodynamic · handle · reservoir · combustion · burner · heat · glow
countries
Sovereign political territories
- continentsEarth's largest landmasses
- kilometersMetric distance units
- runnersThose who race on foot
segments · cities · landmarks · crowds · escort · convoy · overnight · security · lantern · airplane
- eternal flamessacred fire
- OlympicsOlympics, Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, IOC, Paralympics
- Winter Olympicsalpine skiing, biathlon, bobsled, ski jumping, cross-country skiing
- Olympic postersvintage posters
- sacred firesacred fire, fire worship, fire ritual, fire rituals, fire ceremony
- torch relaylighting ceremony
Olympic flameeternal flame
Continuously burning memorial light
funeral pyre · everlasting fire · memorial candle · candlelight vigil · death knell
Olympic flamefuneral pyre
Outdoor body-burning structure
book burning · ashes · darkness · blackout
flame, flaming, flames, inflamed, flammable, inflammable, inflammatory, torchbearer, Olympian