Hydrotreating process using sulfur activated non-calcined catalyst

A process for catalytic hydrotreatment of a heteroatom-contaminated hydrocarbonaceous feedstock, said process comprising contacting said feedstock at elevated temperature and elevated pressure in the presence of hydrogen with one or more catalyst beds;

• wherein at least one catalyst bed contains a catalyst prepared by a process comprising combining a porous support with one or more catalytically active metals selected from Group VI and Group VIII of the Periodic Table, thereby forming a catalyst precursor having a volatile content, and then reducing the volatile content of the catalyst precursor in one or more steps, wherein at least one volatile content reduction step is performed in the presence of one or more sulfur containing compounds prior to said catalyst precursor reaching calcining temperatures.