A two stage hydrodesulfurizing process for producing low sulfur distillates. A
distillate boiling range feedstock containing in excess of about 3,000 wppm sulfur
is hydrodesulfurized in a first hydrodesulfurizing stage containing one or more
reaction zones in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrodesulfurizing catalyst. The
liquid product stream thereof is passed to a first separation stage wherein a vapor
phase product stream and a liquid product stream are produced. The liquid product
stream, which has a substantially lower sulfur and nitrogen content then the original
feedstream is passed to a second hydrodesulfurizing stage also containing one or
more reaction zones where it is reacted in the presence of hydrogen and a second
hydrodesulfurizing catalyst at hydrodesulfurizing conditions. The catalyst in any
one or more reaction zones is a bulk multimetallic catalyst comprised of at least
one Group VIII non-noble metal and at least two Group VIB metals.