Rio 2016 Olympic flame lit in Ancient Olympia

A message of hope in troubled times. Today the Olympic torch began its journey from the site of the ancient games to Rio de Janeiro. As the sun burnt down over Olympia, an actress playing a high priestess used the sun s rays and a parabolic mirror to light the torch. She also offered a mock prayer to Apollo, the old Greek God of light and music. champion in artistic While holding an olive branch, she then lit the relay torch held by a Brazilian artistic gymnast. It ll now begin a sixday journey around Greece before heading to Brazil on May 3rd. There it will travel around 329 cities before ending at the opening of the Olympics in Rio on 5th August. These Olympic Games will be a message of hope in troubled times. And the flame will carry this message into all corners of Brazil and indeed all the It comes as Brazil faces difficult times as their President Dilma Rousseff faces impeachment. The crisis has paralysed the country s ability to revive its economy from recession. Added to that