Video - Majestic Mevlid Ceremonies in Ottoman Empire

Invitation letters were sent to viziers, cadiaskers, ulema, imams of large mosques and other government officials during Mevlid ceremonies, which were also attended by the Sultan. The guests who came to the mosques in their official clothes used to sit in the places allocated to them. Then they would light the censers they had brought to the head of the staff and put them in front of them. At this time, the muezzins used to read the Noble Qur'an. Later, His Holiness the Sultan would arrive, and when this was announced to the congregation by opening the window of His Majesty's chamber, everyone would stand up respectfully. After the "recipe" reading of the muezzins, the orators of the Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmed mosques preached, and meanwhile frankincense and Decoctions were distributed to the guests. After the sermon, the preachers were dressed in hil'ats by the agha of darüssade. Then the first mawlidhan recites the first part of the mawlid-i sharif, and then hil'at was dressed. A little after the second mawlidhan starts the mawlidhan, the bearer of good tidings delivers the letter from the Sheriff of Mecca to the grand vizier, who gives the Reisülküttaba data for him to read