北京奥运圣火在古老的奥林匹亚点燃

徐美红

OLYMPIA, Greece, March 24 (Xinhua)—The Beijing Olympic flame was ignited in a traditional sun-ray ceremony on 11:45 on Monday at the Hera Temple of Ancient Olympia

Dark clouds over Olympia troubling Olympic flame lighting rehearsal parted at last Monday with a flawless torch lighting ceremony heralding the unprecedented torch relay.

The High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou lit the flame out of a concave, burnished steel mirror. Then the flame was transported in a replica of an ancient urn to the ancient Olympia stadium where it was to kindle the first Olympic torch.

High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou handed over the torch to the first torchbearer, 2004 Olympic silver medallist in taekwondo (80kg) Alexandros Nikolaidis, who carried it to kick off the relay in Greece, across five continents and China.

Prior to the lighting, Nafpliotou and 20 female priestesses—all wearing pleated white dresses and sandals—performed an ancient ritual. Following a short dancing ceremony on the slope of ancient Olympia stadium, the High Priestess ignited the first Beijing Olympic torch.

The Olympic Anthem, the National Anthem of China, the National Anthem of Greece were played and the Olympic Flag, the Chinese Flag and the Greek Flag were hoisted before the lighting ceremony.

“Today will lead to the opening of the first ever Olympic Games in China, where one fifth of the worlds population is longing for them,” said Rogge.

By crossing five continents and visiting 21 cities throughout the world, and more than 100 cities in mainland China, the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay prepares the way to Beijing.

“The messengers will be citizens, young or old, able or disabled, athletes and members of the Olympic Movement, who are all eager to promote what each one of us can contribute to a better world.”

Among the dignitaries were Prime Minister of Greece Kostas Karamanlis, President of Greece Karolos Papoulias and former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

“China and Greece, standing as ancient civilizations with long histories, have made outstanding contributions to human progress,” Liu Qi said.

“Today, the Olympic flame, representing the transcendent human spirit, will be lit once again. Burning in the torch of the Beijing Olympic Games, the flame will travel over mountains and seas across the globe, our common homeland.

“The Olympic flame will radiate light and happiness, peace and friendship, and hope and dreams to the people of China and the whole world. Its rays will light up the starry skies during the Beijing Olympic Games.”

According to the schedule, the Olympic flame will be handed over to BOCOG at 3 p.m. at Panathenian Stadium in Athens.

In Greek leg, the sacred flame will pass through 16 prefectures, 43 municipalities, 12 municipality districts, and 4 communities in the hands of 605 torchbearers. In route, a total of 29 ceremonies will be held to celebrate the flame.

The Olympic flame is to arrive in Beijing on March 31. A welcome ceremony will be held at Tiananmen Square, heart of the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games.

After the Greek leg, the Beijing Olympic torch relay covers three parts, the relay outside the mainland of China, in the mainland of China and Mt. Qomolangma exhibition.

The Olympic flame will visit 21 cities outside Mainland of China across six continents and travel across 113 cities and regions of all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the mainland China until it returns to Beijing on Aug. 6.

希腊，奥林匹亚，3月24日（新华社）——周一上午11点45分，在一个传统的阳光照射的仪式上，北京奥运圣火在古老的奥林匹亚赫拉神庙前点燃!

周一，笼罩在奥林匹亚上空影响了奥运圣火采集彩排的乌云终于散开，举行了一个毫无瑕疵的火炬点火仪式，宣告一个前所未有的火炬传递开始。

最高女祭司玛利亚·娜芙普莉奥图从一个光滑的钢质凹面镜中点燃圣火。然后圣火装在一个复制的古瓮中，运到古老的奥林匹亚运动场，在那里它将点燃第一个奥运火炬。

最高女祭司玛利亚·娜芙普莉奥图将火炬交给第一个火炬传递手，2004年奥运会银牌得主希腊跆拳道（80公斤级）运动员亚历山大·尼克莱迪斯，他举着火炬开启了希腊境内、跨越五大洲、跨越中国的火炬接力。

在点火之前，娜芙普莉奥图和另外20名女祭司——她们全都穿着白色的百褶裙和凉鞋——举行了一个古老的仪式。在古奥林匹亚运动场的斜坡上一段简短的舞蹈仪式后，最高女祭司点燃了第一棒北京奥运会火炬。

在点火仪式之前，奥运会会歌、中国国歌、希腊国歌先后奏响，奥运会会旗、中国国旗、希腊国旗先后升起。

罗格说：“今天揭开了中国举办的首次奥运会的序幕，这是占世界人口五分之一的中国人民所期望的。”

北京奥运会火炬接力将把奥林匹克圣火传遍世界五大洲，途经世界21个城市以及中国大陆100多个城市，最终抵达北京中国大陆。

“火炬手都是公民，有年轻人，也有年老人，有健康人，也有残疾人，有体育健儿，也有奥运成员；……