Because of king zeues
When sun rays reflect off a parabolic dish/mirror an invisible sun beam ignites the torch and this is the ancient method still used to light the Olympic Torch.
it was used for light
They run up the stairs and light it using the torch.
The Olympic Flame, Olympic Fire, Olympic Torch, Olympic Light, Olympic Eye, and Olympic Sun is a symbol of the Olympic Games. Commemorating the theft of fire from the Greek god Zeus by Prometheus, its origins lie in ancient Greece, when a fire was kept burning throughout the celebration of the ancient Olympics. The fire was reintroduced at the Olympics in 1928, and it has been part of the modern Olympic Games ever since. The modern torch relay was introduced by Carl Diem, president of the Organisation Committee for the Berlin Games of 1936, as part of an effort to turn the games into a glorification of the Third Reich [1]. But despite its Nazi origin, the torch ceremony is still practiced as of 2006. Traditionally, the Olympic Torch is "lit by the Sun on Mount Olympus" and the torch carrier brings the Flame on foot to the site of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Torch is nowadays ignited several months before the opening celebration of the Olympic Games at the site of the ancient Olympics in Olympia, Greece. Eleven priestesses (played by actresses) light the fire by placing a torch in a concave parabolic mirror which concentrates rays from the Sun. The torch is then transported to the host city of the upcoming Olympics by means of a torch relay. Though traditionally, the fire is carried on foot, other means of transportation have been used as well. The runners have included athletes and celebrities, but many previously 'unknown' people have also carried it, often chosen for their personal merits and achievements. The Olympic Torch Relay ends on the day of the opening ceremony in the central stadium of the Games. The final carrier is often kept secret until the last moment, and is usually a sports celebrity of the host country. The final bearer of the torch runs towards the cauldron, usually placed at the top of a grand staircase, and then uses the torch to start the flame in the stadium. It is generally considered a great honour to be asked to light the Olympic Flame. After being lit, the flame continues to burn throughout the celebration of the Olympics and is extinguished at end of the closing ceremony of the Games.
According to the New York times article the Olympic torch relay did not become a permanent part of the Olympics till the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games.
they used the olympic torch
The Olympic flame is a practice continued from the ancient Olympic Games. In Olympia (Greece), a flame was ignited by the sun and then kept burning until the closing of the Olympic Games. The flame first appeared in the modern Olympics at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. The flame itself represents a number of things, including purity and the endeavor for perfection. In 1936, the chairman of the organizing committee for the 1936 Olympic Games, Carl Diem, suggested what is now the modern Olympic Torch relay. The Olympic flame is lit at the ancient site of Olympia by women wearing ancient-style robes and using a curved mirror and the sun. The Olympic Torch is then passed from runner to runner from the ancient site of Olympia to the Olympic stadium in the hosting city. The flame is then kept alight until the Games have concluded. The Olympic Torch relay represents a continuation from the ancient Olympic Games to the modern Olympics.
It is a source of light. BTW "torch" is the word used in Britain (and a few other countries) for what Americans call a "flashlight".
The closest the flame appears to the fuel supply.
A torch is used as a symbol for knowledge because it illuminates darkness and signifies the light of understanding dispelling ignorance. The flame represents the spark of knowledge that can lead to enlightenment and the sharing of wisdom.
A candle, lighter, torch, or matchstick can all carry a flame. Each of these objects can be used to ignite a fire, provide light, or heat objects.