ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The eternal flame at the gravesite of former President John F. Kennedy is undergoing repairs at Arlington National Cemetery.

Before the repairs began, workers used a torch Monday to carry the flame and pass it to a temporary burner that will be visible to tourists at the site while work is underway.

Cemetery officials say the work will take about three weeks and should be completed by late May, when the flame will be passed back to the original site.

A temporary flame was used from the time of Kennedy's November 1963 funeral until the permanent flame was established in 1967. Officials said repairs are needed after more than four decades of use and will include new gas lines and more efficient burners.

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