The final rehearsal for Beijing 2022 Olympic Flame Lighting Ceremony took place in Ancient Olympia.

 The rehearsal was conducted normally but without the traditional costumes in order to be protected in case of rain.

The Olympic Flame will be lit on Monday 18 October 2021 at 11.30 in the presence of the President of Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Xanthi Georgiou is the High Priestess and Artemis Ignatiou the Choreographer. The first torchbearer will be the skier Giannis Antoniou and the second the Chinese Li Jiajun, five time Olympic Medalist at the Winter Olympics of 1998, 2002 and 2006. The torch relay will be completed with Vassilis Papavassiliou.

The programme:

Olympic Anthem – Hoisting of the Olympic Flag

National Anthem of People’s Republic of China– Hoisting of the Chinese Flag

National Anthem of Greece – Hoisting of the Greek Flag

The anthems are performed by the Soprano Vassiliki Karagianni

Address by the Mayor of Ancient Olympia, Mr. Georgios Georgiopoulos

Address by the Special Representative, Vice President of Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Vice President of Chinese Olympic Committee, Mr.Yu Zaiqing

Address by the President of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Thomas Bach

Address by the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee and Member of the International Olympic Committee, Mr. Spyros Capralos

Entry of the designated officials in the Temple of Hera

Ritual of the Lighting Ceremony at the Temple of Hera

Entry of the High Priestess and the Priestesses into the Ancient Stadium with the Olympic Flame

Dance performance by the Priestesses

Handing over of the Olympic Flame by the High Priestess to the first Torchbearer

Departure of the first Torchbearer for the Pierre de Coubertin Monument

Opening of the Olympic Torch Relay