Article by Luminița Paul – Published Monday, November 24, 2025 7:46 p.m. / Updated Monday, November 24, 2025 7:47 p.m.
The flame-lighting ceremony for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (February 6-22, 2026) will take place in the ancient Olympia on Wednesday, November 26, and organizers have made a rehearsal, keeping the flame lit in case of inclement weather.
Organizers today wrapped up an emergency rehearsal in ancient Olympia for the lighting of the 2026 Winter Olympics flame in Milan-Cortina, taking advantage of a short break in Greece's inclement weather.
With cloudy skies forecast for the official lighting ceremony on Wednesday, November 26, the flame produced on Monday will be kept as a backup.
Actress Mary Mina, playing an ancient priestess, used a concave mirror to focus the sun's rays onto a torch. It was needed seven seconds to light the flame – without artificial means and keeping a tradition inspired by the original Olympic Games, which dates back to 2,800 years.
The flame was lit following a theatrical invocation of Apollo, the ancient god of light. But success depends on simple physics: the mirror must focus direct sunlight to generate the temperature necessary for ignition. Without this, the method fails.
Organizers, eyes glued to the weather forecast: updates every two hours
The organizers stated that they watched the weather for several days, with the support of a team from Greek Meteorological Serviceto synchronize the short period of sun.
Updates were sent every two hours, according to Jochen Farber, Olympic Channel bureau chief in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“Weather forecasting is based on mathematical algorithms. There are about 25-30 different models used to calculate forecasts based on available dataFarber told the AP.
Lighting a spare torch flame in ancient Olympia for the 2026 Winter Games Photo: Imago Images
“The weather team is constantly comparing forecasts with actual results,” he said. “And that guided our decision.”
Olympia, located 320 kilometers southwest of Athens, was considered a sacred place by the ancient Greeks. Today, it serves as the symbolic starting point for every Olympic competition, with the flame serving as a link between the ancient festival and the modern games.
Spare flame for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as well
Organizers also relied on a spare flame for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This year, after a short tour of Greece, the flame will start in a relay of 63 days and 12,000 kilometers through all 110 Italian provinces before ending on February 6 at the San Siro stadium in Milan.
Runners will wear “Essentials”, an elegant torch designed in Italy, made from recycled aluminium, fitted with a bio-polymer handle and powered by renewable gas.
The “Essenziale” torch, for the 2026 Winter Olympics Photo: Olympics
The Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, to be held from February 6-22, will be Italy's third Winter Olympics and the first to be jointly hosted by two cities. These will include 116 medal events, the debut of ski mountaineering, greater participation by women and the return of NHL players to Olympic hockey.
