Tokyo Olympics 2020: Torch lighting ceremony in Greece - all you need to know

The priestesses at the ceremony wear costumes with pleats

The Olympic flame is arguably the most famous symbol of the Olympic Games.

Preparations for this year's summer Games, held in Tokyo, Japan, are now under way, and the Olympic flame will be lit on Thursday, 12 March to mark the upcoming competition.

The lighting ceremony connects the ancient Games, which were first held in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BC, to the modern Olympics that many people know and love today.

The ceremony is held near the Temple of Hera at the sacred site of Ancient Olympia, in western Greece, when thousands of people turn out to witness the flame being lit.

However, this year members of the public won't be attending the lighting ceremony in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Just 100 guests have been invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Tokyo 2020 to watch the first torch bearer, Rio 2016 pistol-shooting gold medallist Anna Korakaki, carry the flame away from the Ancient Olympic Stadium to start the relay. It will then travel around Greece. Around 10,000 torchbearers are expected to take part in this year's Olympic torch relay.

What happens during the lighting ceremony and why is it so important? Read on to find out more.

What happens during the Olympic torch event?

The Olympic flag is raised at the lighting ceremony

The ceremony will start with the flags of Greece and this year's host, Japan, being raised as their national anthems are played. The Olympic flag will also be raised.

Then 35 priestesses will arrive at the Temple of Hera, and they'll move into an area known as the Sacred Altis. This is where religious ceremonies are thought to have taken place in ancient Greece.

The lead priestess will then hold a fuel-filled torch to the bowl until it's set alight.

How is the Olympic flame lit?

The Olympic torch is lit using the Sun's rays

The Olympic flame is lit using rays from the Sun. A concave - or parabolic - mirror is pointed at the Sun. All of its surfaces curve inwards and act as a giant magnifying glass for the Sun.

The torch is then held in the centre of the mirror and the heat generated sets the fuel inside the torch alight, producing the famous flame. The Olympic flame has been lit using this technique since 1936!

What if the weather's bad?

A rehearsal for the lighting ceremony takes place a few days before the actual event. A standby flame has already been successfully lit in this year's practice run and it'll be kept in reserve in case the weather isn't great on the day.