Olympic flame-lighting ceremony in photos
Actress Mary Mina, playing the high priestess holds a pot with the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece (AP) — The Olympic flame began its journey Wednesday to the Milan Cortina Winter Games — missing a little of its usual magic. Bad weather lashing western Greece forced organizers to move the torch-lighting ceremony indoors, from Olympia’s ancient stadium and temples to a nearby museum.
The flame is normally lit by focusing the sun’s rays with a concave mirror. But with skies overcast, officials used a backup flame kindled during a brief spell of sunshine at Monday’s rehearsal.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Actor Mary Mina playing the role of high priestess, right, performs during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Actor Mary Mina playing the role of high priestess, right, performs during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
High Priestess Mary Mina, left, lights a torch from the Olympic flame during the flame lighting ceremony for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the archaeological museum of Olympia, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
High Priestess Mary Mina, left, lights a torch from the Olympic flame during the flame lighting ceremony for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the archaeological museum of Olympia, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
A performer holds a ceramic pot with the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A performer holds a ceramic pot with the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
The children’s choir of the Italian School of Athens sing the national anthem during the flame lighting ceremony for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the archaeological museum of Olympia, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
The children’s choir of the Italian School of Athens sing the national anthem during the flame lighting ceremony for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the archaeological museum of Olympia, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Greek rower Petros Gaidatzis, right, and former Italy’s Cross Country skier Stefania Belmondo start the torch relay after the ceremony of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the archaeological museum of Olympia, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Greek rower Petros Gaidatzis, right, and former Italy’s Cross Country skier Stefania Belmondo start the torch relay after the ceremony of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the archaeological museum of Olympia, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Dancers playing the role of priestesses perform during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Dancers playing the role of priestesses perform during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Actress Mary Mina, playing a priestess, lights the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Actress Mary Mina, playing a priestess, lights the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Actress Mary Mina, center, playing the role of high priestess holds the torch with the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Actress Mary Mina, center, playing the role of high priestess holds the torch with the flame during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Performers playing the role of priestesses wait for the start of a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Performers playing the role of priestesses wait for the start of a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Dancers playing the role of priestesses perform during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Dancers playing the role of priestesses perform during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Dancers playing the role of priestesses perform during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Dancers playing the role of priestesses perform during a rehearsal ahead of the flame lighting for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, at the Ancient Olympia site, Greece, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
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