ATHENS, April 26. /TASS/. A ceremony of handing over the Olympic flame to the organizers of the 23rd Summer Olympic Games in Paris kicked off at Athens' historic white marble Panathinaikos Stadium, which hosted the first ever Olympic Games in modern history in 1896.

The ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris took place in Ancient Olympia on April 16. That day, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, President of the Greek National Olympic Committee Spyros Capralos and other officials were in attendance.

The ritual of lighting the Olympic flame dates back to the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. It is a reminder of the legend of titan Prometheus, who stole fire from the Gods and gave it to human beings as a gift. The modern tradition was revived in 1928, at the Amsterdam Olympics, when the Olympic flame was for the first time lit at the main stadium. And in 1936, before the Olympic Games in Berlin, a torch relay was held for the first time in modern history.

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games will be hosted by the French capital of Paris between July 26 and August 11.