July 22-23, 1952
FIRE FESTIVAL: This year’s fire festival was a great success. Fires lit on the mountaintops around Attica and on the hills of Athens were visible for quite some time. On Mt Hymettus, 47 fires were lit along the peaks, that is, as many as the number of the members of the federation of mountaineering and excursion clubs taking place in the event. On the top of Mt Pendeli, one fire was lit, and on Mt Parnitha, three. On the Acropolis, a ceremony was held in which poems were recited and speeches made regarding the significance of the celebration by the president of the event’s organizing committee and by the mayor of Athens. Then a fire was lit in front of the Parthenon. At 10 p.m. a torch relay set out from the Acropolis to a central monument in the city, where a wreath was laid. In the northern suburb of Filothei, a fire was lit at the top of the hill and a religious ceremony was held. According to reports from the provinces, fires were also lit by groups of mountaineers on many peaks and at archaeological sites around the country. OLYMPIC GAMES: Helsinki, 21 (From our correspondent A. Sebos): Yesterday the track and field events began in the Olympic Stadium here in the Finnish capital before a crowd of 65,000 spectators. Our 400-meter hurdles champion, F. Cosmas, put in a good appearance.
