Mecca's grand mosque: Kaaba's Kiswa replacement ceremony begins

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The traditional ceremony of replacing the Kiswa (cover) of the Holy Kaabah at the Grand Mosque in Mecca commenced on Wednesday evening.…

The King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaabah Kiswa, under the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, is overseeing the ceremony.

The ceremony started on Wednesday evening and is expected to be completed by Thursday morning, marking the first day of the new Hijri year.

Inside Haramain, the official account of the two holy mosques in Mecca and Maddinah reported on Wednesday that the new Kiswa was handed over to Abdul Malik bin Taha Al-Shaibi, the senior keeper of the Grand Mosque, by the Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Saud bin Mishaal on June 8.

The new Kiswa is made from natural black-dyed silk, intricately embroidered with gold and silver threads.

The King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa produced the Kiswa with exceptional precision and spiritual significance.

Officials began the ceremony by removing the gilded curtain from the Kaaba door, measuring 6.35 meters in length and 3.33 meters in width.

Chandeliers and decorative ornaments were dismantled to facilitate the replacement of the old Kiswa with the new one.

A team of 154 highly skilled Saudi craftsmen, with scientific and practical expertise, is overseeing the Kiswa replacement process.

The team raised the old Kiswa and detached the gilded elements.

The new Kiswa comprises 47 intricately embroidered black silk panels featuring 68 Qur’anic verses stitched with 24-karat gold-plated silver threads.

The entire Kiswa weighs approximately 1,415 kilograms.

To create the new Kiswa, 120 kilograms of gold-plated silver thread, 60 kilograms of pure silver, 825 kilograms of silk, and 410 kilograms of raw cotton were used.

Fifty four gilded pieces were also produced using eight specialized weaving machines.

This ceremony showcased the Kingdom’s dedication to serving Islam’s holiest sites, with the Kiswa renewal being a symbol of reverence and spiritual legacy.