The Olympic flame for the 2026 Winter Games Milano Cortina was officially lit last week at the official ceremony in Olympia, Greece, known as the spiritual home of the iconic global sports event.
The Olympic flame for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 was officially lit last week at the official ceremony in Olympia, Greece, known for being the spiritual home of the Games.
The main part of the flame-lighting ceremony took place inside of the Archaeological Museum of Olympia due to rainy weather conditions, however, organizers were still able to maintain the beauty and wonder of the tradition.
The Olympic website shared that the flame was initially lit last Monday in front of the Temple of Hera utilizing a parabolic mirror and the sun’s rays. This has been a tradition since 1936. The flame remained lit in a safety lantern until last Wednesday when it was then used to light the Olympic torch inside of the museum.
Many representatives from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), including IOC President Kirsty Coventry and former IOC President Thomas Bach, attended the ceremony with dignitaries from the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC). The Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee and other local authorities were also in attendance.
Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee, addressed the audience at one point to acknowledge the historic ceremony.
“Standing here today, it is impossible not to be inspired and moved by the sheer weight of history and tradition that sits at the heart of our great Olympic Movement.”
The archaeological site of Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympic Games. It was founded back in the 8th century BC and was dedicated to Zeus and hosted the Games for over a thousand years.
Lighting the Olympic flame in Olympia has remained a tradition for about 90 years. According to William Imbo, writer for the Olympics, earlier in the ceremony, Christina Poulitsi performed the Olympic anthem before a choir from the Italian School of Athens, who sang the Greek national anthem.
Malagò also discussed the symbolic journey and meaning of the flame as it moves to travel across Italy.
“The Italian spirit will shine brightly in the flame of the torch, igniting the whole of Italy and uniting the world in the common purpose which sits at the heart of Milano Cortina: to use the timeless power of the Olympic Games to create new opportunities for young generations through sport.”
IOC President Coventry also delivered a speech in which she emphasized the values that are symbolically carried by the flame from Olympia to Italy.
“Today’s ceremony reminds us what the Olympic Games stand for: bringing people together in peaceful competition, friendship and respect.
As we light the Olympic flame for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, we carry this light from the past to the present, and continue it to the future. And it’s a shared future we all want to see,” Coventry stated.
“The flame will soon travel to Italy — a country where passion runs deep in the hearts of its people. This passion will inspire athletes and fans alike. It will be the heartbeat of the Games, shining through in every moment that Italy shares with the world.”
After the torch was initially lit in the museum, it was then passed to the first Torchbearer of the Olympic Torch Relay, Petros Gkaidatzis. Waiting for him at the museum steps was the first Italian Torchbearer for Milano Cortina 2026, Stefania Belmondo.
Together, the two carried the flame to the Pierre de Coubertin Monument, another symbolic stop in every Flame-Lighting Ceremony. After the monument, the flame was handed to Italian luge icon Armin Zöggeler, who continued the relay before passing the torch to Dimosthenis Tampakos, Greece’s Olympic champion in artistic gymnastics and the president of the Hellenic Olympic Academy.
The flame is now set to travel across Greece for nine days, and will be carried by over 450 Torchbearers and making stops in 36 cities and towns.
The route of the flame is very intentional, and meant to show off Greece’s Olympic heritage with their winter landscapes. It will pass through the nation’s 12 major ski resorts before it arrives at the Panathenaic Stadium for the official Handover Ceremony.
Following the handover, the flame will then make its way to Rome to begin the Italian leg of the relay.
“From 6 December 2025 to 6 February 2026, the Olympic flame will travel a remarkable 12,000 kilometres across all 110 Italian provinces, visiting 60 cities, 300 towns, and every UNESCO World Heritage site in the country,” Imbo reported.
In total, 10,001 Torchbearers will carry the flame while celebrating Italy’s culture, history, and connection to winter sports ahead of the official Games. The Torch Relay will officially conclude at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games to officially kick off the world’s largest winter sporting event.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
