Włodarczyk, the reigning Olympic champion in the women's hammer throw since London 2012, amputee footballer Marcin Oleksy who won last year's FIFA Puskás Award and Montreal 1976 men's modern pentathlon Olympic gold medallist Pyciak-Peciak completed the final act of the evening before it concluded with a spectacular lights show and fireworks display.

The Flame of Peace was originally lit in Italy's capital Rome at the start of April.

The last legs of the Torch Relay were completed inside the stadium by five Polish athletes.

They were reigning men's 50 kilometres race walk Olympic champion Dawid Tomala, former sprinter Marian Woronin, Muncih 1972 men's under-72 kilograms weightlifting Olympic champion Zygmunt Smalcerz, two-time women's cross-country mountain biking Olympic champion and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Maja Włoszczowska and four-time Olympic race walking gold medallist Robert Korzeniowski.

The Ceremony had begun with a video showcasing the Małopolska region and host cities of the Games, followed by the bugle call made from St Mary's Tower in Kraków's Main Square on every hour to accompany the departure of air balloons depicting some of the 29 disciplines on the Kraków-Małopolska 2023 programme.

The Polish national anthem reverberated around the stadium, before the first show of the Ceremony depicted Polish history and legends.

This was done through seven moving re-enactments while a white eagle, the emblem of the Polish state, circled above.

It told the legend of the three brothers Lech, Czech and Rus, the coronation of Boleslaw the Brave, the legend of the bugle call and the Lajkonik, the rise of Poland and feast hosted by Mikolaj Wierzynek, and the court jester Stańczyk.

Polish DJ Tribbs accompanied traditional music from the bands Zakopower and Golec uOrkiestra as well as the Ukrainian winners of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest Kalush.

The next segment of the Ceremony honoured famous Poles, with dancers and performers of Kraków-based Art Colour Ballet depicting the Vistula River which connects Poland's largest cities alongside this.

Composer Frederic Chopin, poet Wisława Szymborska and playwright, writer, poet, painter, graphic artist and designer Stanislaw Wyspianski were the first famous Poles shown.

They were followed by physicist and chemist Maria Curie-Skłodowska who was a pioneer of the study of radioactivity and discovered polonium and radium, explorer Henryk Arctowski and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus who is credited with proving the sun rather than the earth is at the centre of the universe.

Pope John Paul II was the last Pole who featured as part of this part of the Ceremony.

In contrast to the first musical segment, Triggs' second part took a more modern take with an Eye of the Tiger remix and songs with Ben Cristovao, Daria ze Śląska and Roxie Węgiel.

Attention shifted back to Poland's greatest sons and daughters, this time in the realm of sport.

Pre-World War II Olympic champions Halina Konopacka and Janusz Kusocińsk, sprinter Irena Szewińska, rally driver Robert Kubica, Włodarczyk, four-time ski jumping world champion Adam Małysz and Korzeniowski all formed part of the "Polish team of all time".

The crowd then roared its approval with the additions of Poland's men's football talisman Robert Lewandowski and four-time tennis Grand Slam winner Iga Świątek.

The Parade of the 48 competing nations plus the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Refugee Team followed.

Loud ovations were reserved for the last three teams - Ukraine, the Refugee Team and Poland.

The EOC flag was carried into the stadium and raised in the next ceremonial function, before music followed from Krzysztof Cugowski, Kamil Bednarek and T-Love.

Marshal of Małopolska Witold Kozłowski and Mayor of Kraków Jacek Majchrowski welcomed participants to the European Games, before there were remarkable scenes as Minister of State Assets Jacek Sasin, who resigned as Deputy Prime Minister today, was loudly jeered as he walked towards the stage and during his speech.

IOC President Thomas Bach offered a video message in which he acknowledged Russia and Belarus' absence from the Games, remarking "circumstances unfortunately do not allow all athletes from all European NOCs [National Olympic Committees] to be here".

He said "our hearts go out to the Ukrainian athletes and to the Ukrainian people" and expressed his support for their participation in any competition.

"Sport must always build bridges," Bach added.

"Sport must never erect walls.

"Sport must always bring people together in peaceful competition."

EOC President Spyros Capralos welcomed athletes to the third edition of the European Games in his speech, in particular "a very special welcome" to Ukraine.

"All across Europe, many people are impatient to see what you will achieve, family, friends, coaches, club mates, fans of sport," the IOC member in Greece said.

"We know that you, the athletes of these Games, are focused on your performance.

"For many of you, the great conditions here in Kraków and the region of Małopolska will help you to achieve a personal best.

"For some of you, your performance will earn you a place at next year's Olympic Games Paris 2024.

"But all of you will have the chance to experience something really special that goes beyond sport.

"You have the chance to live together as thousands of young Europeans side-by-side in peaceful conditions."

Polish President Andrzej Duda then declared the Games open, although was also subject to some jeering during his speech if not to the same degree as Sasin.

The lighting of the Cauldron and fireworks show concluded the Ceremony.

Medal events at the European Games are due to begin tomorrow and run until July 2.