Torch Relay reaches Thessaloniki port

At the end of the third day of the Torch Relay launched on Thursday at ancient Olympia after the lighting ceremony, the Olympic Flame burning for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics reached the port of Thessaloniki in northern Greece.

On Saturday evening, the cauldron set up in front of the city' s landmark, the White Tower, was ignited by Voula Patoulidou, the current Deputy Governor of the region. Patoulidou became a Greek sporting legend in 1992 when she was the surprise winner of the Women's 100 meters hurdles race at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.

The Sacred Flame' s journey had started from Preveza in western Greece in the morning. Wherever it passed it received a warm welcome by locals and tourists who cheered.

At the nearby city of Igoumenitsa, local Greek rower Alexandra Tsiavou, a bronze medal winner at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, was among the torchbearers.

At the Ionian Sea island of Corfu, where it arrived by ferry, the Flame was carried among others by para-athlete Panagiotis Spinoulas, a swimmer, and Maria Georgatou, a veteran rhythmic gymnast who had won a bronze medal at the 2000 Sidney Summer Olympics.

The next stop was Ioannina, where retired footballer Giourkas Seitaridis, a member of the Greek national team which had won Euro 2004, lit the cauldron by Pamvotida lake.

At the city of Veroia, among torchbearers was Nikos Toulikas, a gold medal winner in 5,000 meters at the 2015 Los Angeles Special Olympics.

After staying overnight at Thessaloniki, the Sacred Light will continue its journey across northern Greece before starting descending to the south.

On Wednesday, the Greek leg of the Relay will end at the Panathinaic stadium in central Athens, the marble venue of the first modern Olympics 120 years ago.

The Hellenic Olympic Committee will hand over the Flame to the Rio Games Organizing Committee.

The second leg of the Torch Relay across Brazil will end at Maracana stadium in Rio on Aug. 5.