Olympic flame lit
The countdown the Olympic Games in London has begun with the lighting of the Olympic flame at the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, where the ancient Games took place.
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Olympic Flame handed over to London 2012
Spyros Capralos, the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee passes the Olympic Torch to Princess Anne.
London 2012 welcomes the Olympic Flame
The Olympic Flame will be transferred to Lands End where three-time Olympic sailing champion Ben Ainslie will be the first torchbearer in the final 70-day relay to the start of the Games.
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Lord Sebastian Coe addresses Olympic Flame ceremony
Spyros Capralos, the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games, Lord Sebastian Coe address the stadium before the Olympic Flame handover formally takes place.
Olympic flame handover from Greece to London taking place
The cauldron has now been lit at the centre of the Panathenaic Stadium stadium in Athens.
Olympic flame ceremony marks countdown to London Games
The Olympic flame for the London 2012 Games was lit in the ancient city of Olympia, Greece today.
Read the full storyAncient ceremony kicks off countdown to London 2012
The Olympic flame has been lit in an ancient ceremony in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Ancient Games.
The flame will travel around Greece before arriving the UK on May 18.
See how close the Olympic torch will come to you.
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Olympic flame lit
The Olympic flame for the London 2012 games has been lit in Greece this morning.
The traditional ceremony took place under a baking sun in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Ancient Games.
Dressed in traditional robes, a "high priestess" llifted a blazing torch from a parabolic mirror. This is to guarantee the flame is lit directly from the sun, according to tradition and is the only way the flame can be lit, as stated by ancient rituals.
Olympic officials attend flame lighting ceremony
Locog Chairman Lord Coe, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge and Hellenic Olympic Committee president Spyros Capralos are in Olympia for the Olympic flame lighting ceremony.
Lord Coe and Jacques Rogge each received ceremonial gifts from the Hellenic Olympic Committee president.
The traditional ceremony took place in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the Ancient Games.
Union flag raised in ancient city of Olympia
The Olympic flame lighting ceremony is under way in the ancient city of Olympia, Greece. The ceremony started with the raising of the flag of the Olympics, followed by the Union flag and the Greek flag.
Olympic flame lighting ceremony underway
The Olympic flame lighting ceremony has started in the ancient city of Olympia in Greece. The ceremony started with the raising of three flags: the Olympic flag, the Union Jack, and the Greek flag.
Officials from the London Organising Committee are taking part in the hour-long ceremony that will culminate in the Olympic flame being lit by a "high priestess" who captures the morning sun's rays in a parabolic mirror.
The flame will then travel 1,800 miles around Greece before flying to Britain on May 18.