Full coverage: The lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece

There are 22 priestesses and most of them are students. They've dedicated about 20 hours a week to rehearse this dance that you're seeing now. There will be speaking parts for the actresses as well later.

The High Priestess prays to Apollo, god of the sun, to send his rays for the Olympic torch.

The High Priestess uses the parabolic mirror to collect the rays of the sun and successfully create a flame. The flame will never go out for the entire length of the relay, as the original flame created here in Olympia will travel with the torch throughout its journey.

The ceremony continues before the first torchbearer receives the flame.

Now a young priestess holds an olive branch.

The High Priestess and priestesses enter the stadium with the Olympic Flame.

Now, the performance of the six priests mentioned earlier. Each priest holds an olive branch. The dance symbolizes sports performed in the ancient Olympic Games.

The priests each pick up a wreath made of olive branches, forming the Olympic rings. An aulos, a flute-like instrument, and tympanon (percussion instrument) are being played in the background.

The priestesses perform a dance now.

Priestesses form two rings, with the inner priestess raising olive branches.

The priestesses move apart and the High Priestess enters with the Olympic Flame.

The High Priestess brings the Olympic Flame to an altar and prays aloud.

She lights the Olympic Torch that she will pass on to the first torchbearer, Alexandros Nikolaidis, an Olympic Taekwondo silver medalist.

The High Priestess, actress Maria Nafpliotou, kindles a torch held by Alexandros Nikolaidis, Greece's Olympic silver medallist for taekwondo. (Photo credit: Cheng Gong)

Nikolaidis arrives, accepts the olive branch from her, and his torch is lit from the Olympic Torch. He is wearing a "Beijing 2008" T-shirt.

A dove is released. (Photo credit: Cheng Gong)

Now we witness the releasing of the dove, a symbol of freedom. Everyone is very happy and clapping.

The lighting of Nikolaidis's torch marks the beginning of the Beijing Olympic Torch Relay. He will now run to the Coubertin monument.

The Beijing Olympic Torch Relay has begun.

Liu Qi shakes hands with other international VIPs.

The ceremony was moved up by an hour to ensure that there would be good weather.

Alexandros Nikolaidis runs to the monument of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympics. (Photo credit: Cheng Gong)

Here is Alexandros Nikolaidis, holding the Olympic torch and the olive branch.

The relay has begun with a Greek athlete, and the very next torchbearer will be Chinese.

Nikolaidis has arrived at the monument of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympics. He kneels before the monument as is the tradition.

Nikolaidis continues his relay leg accompanied by escort runners. The torch will now be passed to China's Luo Xuejuan, an Athens 2004 swimming gold medalist. She will run with the torch to the Athens City Hall.

She carried the Athens torch in Beijing and now she will carry the Beijing torch in Athens. The torch will be in Greece for seven days before arriving in Beijing.

Luo will be handing the torch off to Deng Yaping, the table tennis champ. Deng will then hand the torch off to the Chinese ambassador to Greece Luo Linquan.

Spectators are departing. The Lighting Ceremony of the Olympic Flame for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games successfully closes.