According to the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques, female employees participated in the ceremonial changing of the Kaaba’s kiswa – the black cloth adorned with gold and silver threads – on Sunday. They carried some of its components and handed them over to other workers, who then loaded them into a vehicle for transport to the Makkah’s Grand Mosque.

As part of the annual ceremony, which takes place after the Hajj pilgrimage season and at the start of the new year in the Islamic calendar, participants remove the old kiswa and replace it with a new one by securing it on the corners and roof of the Kaaba.

“Although the female employees’ roles were limited to the preparatory phases of the ceremony, this event marked the first known instance in history of women participating in the ritual. This development comes as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to promote women in various fields and industries across the country.”

MNA/