PRESIDENT of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Minoa Kyriakou, handed the Olympic flame to Liu Qi, president of BOCOG, at the Panathenian Stadium in Athens yesterday afternoon at the end of a six-day torch relay in Greece.

The flame is to arrive in Beijing this morning, initiating an international Olympic flame “journey of harmony” throughout the world.

Four bannermen from China and Greece each carried the national flags into the Panathenian Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games were staged in 1896.

The priestesses, all wearing pleated white dresses and sandals, entered the stadium to practice ancient Greek rituals. Chrysopigi Devetzi, the triple jump silver medalist at the 2004 Games, was honored as the last torchbearer of the relay, running into the stadium holding the torch aloft to light the flame on the altar.

Following the IOC anthem, three flame guards from China stepped up taking the flame safety lantern and lighting stick.

High Priestess Maria Nafpliotou kindled the torch from the altar and passed it to Kyriakou, who handed it to Liu.

Liu displayed the flame and then transferred it to the lantern.

“Tomorrow, the Olympic flame, brimming with friendship and good wishes of the Greek people, is heading for Beijing to reach the Great Wall,” said Liu.

A welcome ceremony will be held this morning at Tian’anmen Square, Beijing.

The Olympic flame will be carried through 21 cities outside the Chinese mainland across five continents and travel across 113 cities and regions of all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China before it returns to Beijing on Aug. 6.

(Xinhua)