Original article (in Bosnian) was published on 16/2/2026; Author: Mladen Lakić
What are the claims?
Satanic symbols were displayed at the Olympic flame lighting ceremony in Italy in 2026.
What are the facts?
The inspiration for the design of the Olympic cauldrons in Milan comes from the work of Leonardo da Vinci. Reading satanic symbolism into Olympic ceremonies is a conspiracy theory.
The 25th Winter Olympic Games were officially opened on February 6, 2026, with a ceremonial event in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. The opening of the Games was conceived as a simultaneous event across multiple locations. In addition to the events in Milan and Cortina, athlete parades and ceremonies were also held in Predazzo and Livigno. After more than three hours of programming, the Olympic flame lighting ceremony was held in Milan at the Arch of Peace (Arco della Pace) and in Cortina at Piazza Dibona.
The flame-lighting ceremony was presented in some social media posts and articles on certain portals as a performance containing satanic symbolism. Specifically, these posts claimed that a pentagram, an inverted five-pointed star symbolizing Satan, was “hidden” within the Olympic flame.
On February 9, 2026, the website called Epoha published an article whose headline stated that the lighting of the Olympic flame had gone viral due to “satanic symbolism”. The article claimed that the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris were filled with satanic symbols and that the same was true of the 2026 Winter Games.
The Olympic flame was lit by skiers Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni at the triumphal arch Arco della Pace in Milan, in what many called a satanic ritual.
An attentive viewer could not miss the fiery satanic symbolism of the pentagram. The commentator asks: “Are these the 2026 Winter Olympic Games or satanic pedophiles who run the world choosing a new grand master?”
The Olympic Games are once again full of demonic symbolism, although this time not as obvious as in Paris. However, anyone even slightly interested in this topic noticed it.
The article concludes by rejecting the official statement from the Games’ organizers regarding the symbolism of the torches and Olympic cauldrons.
Satanic symbolism has been appearing in various ceremonies – not only Olympic ones – for about 15 years. Organizers claim that it represents Leonardo da Vinci’s symbolism and his depiction of man. However, the proportions and the fact that the top (the head) should be at the top rather than at the bottom are not correct.
If it is in this shape, it is an exact satanic pentagram.
In the context of symbolism in recent years – from the Gotthard tunnel to the Olympic Games in London to Paris 2024 – various symbols can no longer be ignored…
The claims from this article were shared in a Facebook post on the same day. In addition, footage of the Olympic flame lighting was shared in other Facebook posts, accompanied by claims that it more or less clearly depicts a pentagram (1, 2).
Seeing Satanism at the Olympics
Claims that satanic or occult symbols are being “inserted” into Olympic ceremonies circulate during such events. The 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris also attracted the attention of conspiracy theory supporters who believe that such events are used to display satanic rituals and symbols. Raskrinkavanje previously wrote about some of these conspiracy theories and disinformation narratives circulating in the region (1, 2).
The organizers of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy explained on the official website that the Olympic flames, or cauldrons, at these Games pay tribute to the sun as the primary source of life, energy, and renewal.
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games will introduce an innovative approach to two traditional rituals: the lighting and extinguishing of the Olympic flame. These moments, symbolizing unity, brotherhood among nations, and the global spirit of sport, will be multiplied.
For the first time, there will be two Olympic cauldrons: one located in Milan at the Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace), an iconic city landmark; the other in Cortina d’Ampezzo at Piazza Dibona, the vibrant heart of the mountain town.
On the official website, the Olympic cauldrons are described as “a powerful symbol of harmony between the two host cities and the territories where the Games are held”, the result of a project by Marco Balich, in collaboration with Lida Castelli and Paolo Fantin.
Footage of the ceremony was published on the YouTube channel of the Associated Press (AP).
The original idea for the Olympic cauldrons, as explained on the organizers’ website, draws on the work of Leonardo da Vinci.
The design draws inspiration from the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and his famous “Knots” – geometric interweavings symbolizing harmony between nature and human ingenuity. It is a tribute to Leonardo and his historical connection with Milan, a city that represents creativity and innovation.
Made of aerospace aluminum, one of the lightest and most durable materials, the cauldrons feature dynamic structures that open and close, bearing witness to the continuity of time and the natural transition between day and night. Designed to expand and contract, like a chest they reveal and safeguard the precious flame.
Therefore, the inspiration for the Olympic cauldrons is not Leonardo’s “depiction of man”, as claimed in the Epoha article, but his work “Knots”.
On the organizers’ website, a video is available showing how Da Vinci’s “Knots” served as inspiration for the cauldrons. In the video, some of his works are shown. Geometric motifs, connection, and interweaving are a significant thread throughout Da Vinci’s work.
Even before the ceremony itself, the organizers’ website displayed how the cauldrons would look.
Therefore, the symbolism of the cauldrons at the opening of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games was explained even before the opening ceremony took place. A pentagram in the Olympic flame is not part of that symbolism.
The Croatian website Index also wrote about the spread of inaccurate claims regarding satanic symbolism at the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan. In an article published on February 7, 2026, it described how the concept of the opening ceremony was interpreted as satanic, although there is no evidence for such claims.Based on the facts above, the claim that satanic symbols were displayed at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan is assessed as a conspiracy theory.
